A Subtle Difference
by Kohakuu
Summary: What if the Potters had a girl instead of a boy? How will this change the timeline? Read and find out! AU, of course!
1. Rose Alia Potter

**A/N: **Hello! Lord Hiro here! This is the beginning of my first real fic, and I hope I get a lot of feedback so I can learn how to write better *hint hint* I expect reviews from people, so go press that review button when you're done!

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter is JK Rowling's idea, not mine. If anyone thinks it is there own idea, now is the time to go put your head in a bucket of sand! :D

**Summary: **What if the Potters had a girl instead of a boy? How would a different gender change the timeline? Just read and find out!

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**June 31st, 1980**

**1:06 AM**

**St. Mungo's Hospital**

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It was a cool, calm night outside. The pale moon provided more than enough light to see by, and it almost seemed that night had turned into day. Soft breezes rustled the tree branches.

James Potter, however, saw none of this. His red, tired eyes betrayed him in his fitful attempts to look calm. His leg kept bouncing up and down as he sat, staring but unseeing at the small sign above the white door. 'Busy,' it said. James sighed, then stared at the brown carpet floor beneath his shoes.

"Calm down Prongs. Lily will be fine." James glanced over at Remus Lupin, who was sitting on the opposite side of the blue plastic bench.

"I know, I know. Still...what if..." James sighed before absentmindedly running his hand through his messy hair.

"So what are you going to name the baby, Prongs?" Sirius asked from the other side of the room, where he was leaning against the wall, hands stuffed in his pockets.

"We decided on Harry James if it's a boy, and Rose Lily if it's a girl."

"Rose? Sticking with flower names, eh?" Remus asked. James nodded, staring at his clenched hands.

"In Latin, it means love, like Lily means hope."

"By the way, where's Peter?" Remus' comment landed on deaf ears for James, but Sirius snorted.

"Probably off with his sick mother again. Seems she's been sick a lot lately. What's she got again?"

"I believe he said skin cancer."

"Ouch. Still no treatment for that, right?"

"Yeah." Remus replied shortly, glancing out the window at the half-moon outside. Sirius noted the subtle glance and also ceased talking. An awkward silence filled the waiting room, broken only by James' feet and Sirius coughing.

All three heads lifted and turned in unison as an imperceptible change passed into the waiting room. James and Remus rose to their feet, and Sirius walked over to lay a hand on James shoulder. Moments later, a mediwitch opened the door in front of the three, all smiles as she regarded them.

"Mr. Potter?" She asked. James stepped forwards, and the mediwitch gestured him through the door, Remus and Sirius following close behind. The mediwitch lead them down a hallway, past pairs of doors on both sides of them.

"You'll be happy to know that both your wife and the baby are just fine." James breathed a sigh of relief. "There were no complications, and you will be able to return home later today, as soon as we make sure of the babies health." Coming to a closed door, the mediwitch stopped, allowing James to grasp the doorknob, and, after a brief moment of hesitation, pushing the door open eagerly.

A mediwizard blocked James view of Lily for a second as he strode into the room, before he stepped back, allowing husband, wife and child to be reunited. After kissing Lily tenderly on the forehead, both of them all smiles, James turned his attention to the bundle in Lily's arms.

Remus and Sirius came to Lily's other side, the joy from the new family infecting them as well. Sirius bent over to take a look at the babies' soft face, quiet and sleeping peacefully in Lily's arms.

"You all right?" James murmured. Lily nodded emphatically, still entranced by the baby in her arms.

"Just look, James. Beautiful We brought a real human life into this world" Lily's voice was tired, but excited at the same time. The white blanket around the baby confused all three men in the room, until Lily noticed, and chuckled softly.

"They ran out of colored blankets, and a changing spell might mess up it's other charms." She breathed deeply, then looked up at James, her green eyes shining with excitement.

"Meet Rose!"

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**October 31st, 1981**

**9:56 PM**

**Potter Safe House**

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"Just think, a few years from now, and we'll be taking little Rose trick or treating with all the little muggles and magicfolk around here!" Lily smiled, tickling the toddler's bare feet. Rose giggled, clapping gleefully. James grinned, heating two cups of tea in an instant before handing one to Lily, who accepted it gratefully. An awkward silence pervaded the room, which only baby Rose broke by humming gleefully, a hand brushing Lily's fiery hair.

The Potters sat, content to be in each others presence, although both adults had the same thought hovering around in the back of their mind. They were just happy to still be alive.

Suddenly, as though an electric shock ran through them all, the atmosphere of the room changed from bright and cheery to dark and foreboding. The fire in the fireplace flashed blue rapidly, and a tinny whine filled the house. Both adults leapt to their feet, teacups dropping to the ground to shatter, forgotten. Even little Rose could feel the tension burning in the air, and was silent.

"Lily. Take Rose upstairs. I'll hold him off."

"No, James! You can't!"

"Lily, go upstairs! Hurry!"

In a rush of wind, Tom Marvolo Riddle, A.K.A. Lord Voldemort, burst through the front door in a flurry of jet-black robes. James' hand flashed into his pocket for his wand, but came up empty, and his mind reeled as he realized he left it on the kitchen counter to bring Lily her cup of tea. Lord Voldemort laughed quietly, before pointing his wand at James.

'_Avada Kedavra_.' Lord Voldemort spoke, almost whispering, his voice silky and laced with excitement. A moment later, and James Potter lay dead on the floor, betrayed by his friend to his worst enemy.

Lord Voldemort laughed quietly, his objective a third of the way complete. A tell-tale thump upstairs told the dark wizard where to head next. Lord Voldemort confidently strode up the stairs of the safe-house, grinning maniacally, the day of his ultimate immortality coming to a peak. A single door, closed, at the end of the hall shone with light behind it, and he strode towards it, blasting it open with a simple bashing hex, nearly throwing it off it's hinges. Lily stood in front of Rose's crib, gripping it in a death grip, as though the moment she left her baby the world would end.

"Don't you dare kill my baby." Lily spoke harshly, but was unable to keep a tremor of fear out of her voice. Lord Voldemort chuckled, before pointing his wand at her.

"Stand aside, foolish girl, and I will spare you."

"Never. I would rather die than let my baby be killed by a monster like you!"

"For the last time, stand aside. This is my last warning." Red and green eyes glared at each other, and a crackle of power ran through the air, as though a miniature thunderstorm had gathered in the room. Golden sparks burst in midair, but neither one noticed in their battle of wills. Finally, Lily's lips parted.

"You will not kill my baby." Lily spoke, confidently and without the trace of fear. Lord Voldemort frowned, then raised his wand again.

'_Avada Kedavra!_" Lord Voldemort shouted, and Rose broke down crying as she sensed her mother die, falling to the ground. Silently, Lord Voldemort approached the crib and looked in. He found it hard to believe that this...child...had the power to defeat him. He, the most powerful Dark Lord in the world, brought down by a mere baby? Lord Voldemort scoffed, raised his wand, aiming at the baby's forehead, between the same bright green eyes that were now staring at his yet again, the second time in several minutes. Once again, the Killing Curse was uttered, and Voldemort felt an odd sense of satisfaction as the green light filled the room.

Then, as Voldemort watched, a golden nimbus of light surrounded Rose, forcing the Killing Curse back. Seemingly in a struggle of wills, green light versus gold, the spell the Dark Lord cast both gained and lost ground, trying to reach it's intended target, but falling back at the last second. Voldemort watched, perplexed, until his curse let loose a bolt of green lightning. The lightning rebounded off the golden light, striking Voldemort before surging at Rose, breaking through the golden nimbus and carving a bolt-shaped scar into her brow. Rose let out a shriek of pain before the golden nimbus expanded substantially, and Lord Voldemort fell victim to his own Killing Curse.

An unearthly howl arose from the room, hurricane force winds swirling through the room as Lord Voldemort's body dissolved and his spirit expanded, filling the room. A final pulse of the golden shield around Rose shattered the windows and blew out the walls and ceiling, sending Voldemort's spirit into the cold, dark night.

Rose lay, cold and alone in her crib, breathing deeply and crying softly for a long half hour, until a familiar face appeared above her, pale to the wandlight he held, dark hair spilling around his head.

"Oh, sweet Merlin." Sirius breathed, reaching down and picking up Rose and hugging her tight to his chest, both man and child crying to the night. Sirius wrapped Rose in a soft pink blanket, hiding her to the sight of her mother and father as he walked out of the house.

The hulking form of Rubeus Hagrid appeared on the premises, and he immediately noticed the ruined house.

"Swee' Merlin, is th' child al'righ'?" Hagrid asked quietly. Sirius nodded, showing the half-giant the baby in his arms.

"He was here, Hagrid. That bloody bastard killed the both of them. And my friend betrayed them to him!" Sirius sobbed. Hagrid regarded him quietly for a few moments.

"Sirius, Dumbledor' asked me t' take littl' Rose t' 'im." Sirius hesitated, before handing the small life over to the half giant, who held her gently.

"Hagrid. Take this. I won't need it where I'm going." Sirius drew out his wand and a small box, flipping it open and restoring a black motorbike to it's original size. Conjuring a comfortable wicker basket, he let Hagrid put Rose into it and placed her gently into the sidecar.

"Hagrid, make sure she's taken care of. I'll be back to care for her, but I have something I need to do first." Hagrid nodded, and Sirius watched as Hagrid drove the motorbike down the road before rising into the sky, silhouetted against the moon.

"Be safe, Rose Lily Potter."

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**November 1****st****, 1981**

**12:39 AM**

**Privet Drive**

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Privet Drive, the most normal street in the world, was asleep. Even if anyone had woken up, they wouldn't have noticed anything unusual happening that night, as a tall, white haired man clicked a device in his hand several times, extinguishing every light along the road. As soon as the road was only lit by the light of the moon, a tabby cat stalked up in front of the old man.

"Good evening, Minerva. No doubt you have felt it, too." The old man's voice betrayed him, giving way to a tone of grief and weariness. Before him, the tabby cat transformed into a tight-lipped woman, and they began to walk towards one of the houses.

"Then it's true, Albus? They're gone, aren't they?" Her voice hitched, and Dumbledore drew out a handkerchief. She accepted it gratefully, blowing her nose and dabbing tears out of the corners of her eyes.

"Indeed. It seems their secret keeper betrayed them to Voldemort. However, in an unforeseen circumstance, once of them was spared, which is why we are here." McGonagall glanced at him. "Rose is alive."

McGonagall gasped. "How?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "The best guess I can manage is that Lily activated some kind of old magic based on blood and a bond of love. My hypothesis is that when Lily died for Rose, her life force shielded Rose from Voldemort's Killing curse. I'll be researching it as soon as we return to Hogwarts." McGonagall blanched.

"Wait, so we're here to give Rose away to the muggles who live here?" McGonagall gestured at the house they were now standing before. "These muggles are the worst sort, I've watched them before! Albus, you must reconsider."

"The blood magic Lily invoked will carry on with Rose's Aunt Petunia. This will be the safest place for Rose to grow up, away from all the attention the media will try to give her. No doubt they will soon learn of her part in destroying Voldemort."

"He's gone?" McGonagall looked at Dumbledore, her eyes wide. Dumbledore nodded.

"The Killing curse meant for Rose rebounded, destroying him. 'The power he knows not' indeed. Yet I still can't shake the feeling that he's truly gone…" Silence settled over the two adults for a few minutes.

Out of the gloom of the night sky, Hagrid, riding Sirius' black motorcycle, appeared. As they approached, Dumbledore quickly silenced the motorcycle's loud roar so that the neighbors wouldn't awaken.

" 'ello Professors. I go' lil' Rose 'ere, just as you asked, Professor." Hagrid shut off the silenced motorcycle, and bent over to lift the basket in which Rose slept out of the sidecar.

"Hagrid, whose motorcycle is this?" McGonagall asked, obviously wary of the dark, shining vehicle, as though it may come alive.

"Oh, this? Youn' Sirius Black gave it t' me when I collect'd Rose, here. 'e was already there when I 'rrived. Said 'e 'ad something t' do, and 'e wouldn't need it where 'e was goin'." Hagrid replied, bringing Rose over to the two of them.

"Sirius? Wasn't he their secret keeper?" McGonagall whispered, horrified.

"'e was goin' on about how someun' betrayed 'im." Hagrid continued, missing McGonagall's revelation. "Told me t' be careful, keep 'er safe." Hagrid held the basket out to Dumbledore, who gathered Rose in his arms.

"Really, now?" Dumbledore murmured, thinking rapidly. He brushed the fringes of black hair that was growing out of Rose's head to stare at the angry, red scar on her forehead.

"That's all the Killing curse left? A scar?" McGonagall sounded incredulous. Dumbledore shook his head.

"I wouldn't be surprised if that's the only burden she has to bear. Curse scars can be terribly unpredictable in nature. Hagrid, did anyone see her?" Hagrid looked shamefaced.

"I 'ad t' stop in Bristol t' buy some gas for th' bike. Word's already spread that You-Know-Who's dead, an' she's th' cause of it. 'ad to threaten some of 'em to stay away from 'er, or they'd 'ave carried 'er off."

"Pictures?" Dumbledore asked stiffly. Hagrid nodded.

"Plenty of 'em. I wouldn't be surprised t' see people walkin' 'round with fake scars on their fore'eads this morn'in."

Silence reigned for a few moments, until Hagrid sniffed loudly.

"She's gonna live 'ere, isn't she?" Hagrid mumbled. "Gone 'ter live with some ruddy muggles."

"They're the only family she has left." Dumbledore gently placed Rose back into the basket, producing an envelope from his pocket and tucking it in the folds of the warm, pink blanket.

"Good luck, Rose. We'll see you in ten years." Dumbledore said softly, before taking the basket from Hagrid and walking up to the Dursley's doorstep and placing the basket there. Once again, silence reigned, until Dumbledore made his way back to Hagrid and McGonagall.

"Come, my friends. We still have much work to do before the majority of the magical community awakens. And I'm sure the Ministry will have some trouble keeping the muggles from noticing our celebrating. Hagrid, please make sure Hogwarts is locked up tight. I don't want any Death Eaters raiding the castle in a panic. Minerva, if you would please head to the Ministry and give them a tip that Rose was last seen headed towards France, we could gain more time to cover the tracks."

Both half-giant and witch nodded, McGonagall apparating away with a soft 'pop,' and Hagrid riding away on the silenced motorcycle into the night. Dumbledore looked around, sighing and rubbing his forehead, before taking out something from a pocket in his robes. A click later, and the street lamps once again blazed with light, and Dumbledore was gone.

If anyone had noticed anything strange on Privet Drive that morning, it would have been the milkman who first found baby Rose on the doorstep as he made his daily delivery. However, Dumbledore had taken the precaution to disillusion the basket with Rose in it, to be revealed only once a member of the family opened the door.

A few minutes later, a shriek of surprise split the calm in the neighbor hood. And so, Rose Lily Potter came to live with the Dursleys.

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**A/N**: Good start? Not a good start? Please review, it's just a short click away!


	2. Life at 'Home'

**A/N: **Hello again! Please read and review!

**Disclaimer:** Why I should have to say this, I know not, but Harry Potter is not my idea. I play in her sandbox, like the rest of us HP fanfic authors.

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**July 30****th ****1991**

**6:26 AM**

**4 Privet Drive**

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_"Lily! Go upstairs, I'll hold him off!" A green flash, a muffled thump._

_"Don't you dare kill my baby!" Another flash, and a bump. A pair of burning red eyes, filled with malice and hate…_

"_Wake up Rose…"_

"Wake up, girl! And start cooking Dudley's birthday breakfast!" Rose awoke to her Uncle banging on the door. Rose groaned, shakily pushing herself up.

"I'm up, sir." Rose murmured. She heard his snort and walk away, most likely back to the kitchen. Rose looked around blearily.

Her surroundings were the same as every morning. The dark, dank, bleak cupboard she lived in only changed when a new spider came to spin a web in one of the dark corners under the stairs. Several pieces of paper littered the ground, covered in childish drawings of a big house, usually with a black haired man and a red haired woman holding a black haired child.

Rose moved off of the several ruined blankets that made up her bed on the floor, slipping into a grey sweatshirt and pants that were several sizes too large for her petite frame. She frowned slightly as she tied up the extra cloth with a rubber band to hold it on, even as the collar of the sweater threatened to slip over her shoulder. She drew her long, black hair into a ponytail before grabbing the pair of Vernon's old glasses that didn't quite let her see right, but better than if she didn't have them at all.

As she exited her 'room,' she heard Dudley, the overweight child that he was, thudding quickly down the stairs. Before she could close the door behind her, Dudley had swung around, knocked her headfirst back into the cupboard and walked to the kitchen, laughing gleefully. Rose moaned softly in pain, feeling the new bruise that was bound to form on her forehead.

Her hand brushed the lightning-bolt scar on her forehead, and she paused, feeling it. She couldn't help but feel that it was somehow tied to how her parents died, but according to her Uncle, they both died in a car crash. Still, constant dreams of the green flashes and red eyes plagued her, and she couldn't help but know, instinctively, that they weren't telling the truth.

The sound of her Aunt coming down the stairs jolted her out of her reverie, and she quickly moved out of the cupboard into the kitchen. Silently, she began fixing the bacon and eggs that she knew Dudley would ask for. Currently, he was counting the number of presents that were stacked on the table for him. Rose kept her eyes on the frying pan, knowing that if she burnt anything, that she would be punished somehow.

"23…24…25…26…" She heard Dudley counting. Vernon was reading his newspaper, smiling broadly at Dudley. Aunt Petunia strode in, squealing and grabbing Dudley.

"Happy birthday, diddykins! How's my big birthday boy today?" Dudley grinned widely.

"I got 36 presents. That's two more than last year." Petunia kissed him on the cheek, before turning to look at Rose.

"Hurry up with that breakfast, girl. And don't burn it." She snapped.

"Yes, ma'am." Rose replied softly, wincing under Petunia's glare. Vernon put aside the newspaper, turning on the small TV on the counter. Dudley began opening his presents, and, even though they were things like a skateboard, several video games and action figures, Rose couldn't help but feel jealous of him. Why couldn't she be loved? Why were her Aunt and Uncle so cruel to her all the time?

Rose finished the breakfast through watery eyes, plating up the customary three plates with plenty of bacon, eggs and toast for several more people. She set them down in front of her 'family' before setting out silverware for them and pouring their drinks, making sure to get Vernon's coffee right. She thought back to the time when he had thrown it at her when she got it wrong, and how they refused to help her heal the burned skin afterwards.

Rose stood meekly at the entrance to the kitchen, staring at her bare feet, as Aunt Petunia sampled the breakfast, making sure it was satisfactory. A few minutes later, she turned her eyes back to Rose, who flinched as though hit.

"It's acceptable. Go back to your room, I don't want you ruining Dudley's birthday." She hissed, and Rose quickly slipped out of the room, back into the cupboard. Her thoughts turned to other things as she tried to ignore her hunger.

"We're going to the zoo, freak. You will stay here and only come out to make Dudley's birthday dinner, do you understand?" Vernon growled through the door a while later, staring at her through the thin slats.

"Yes sir." Rose couldn't help keeping the waver out of her voice. Her uncle seemed satisfied, and turned to leave. She heard Dudley laughing about something, no doubt fighting on his new video game, until the front door shut and everything was quiet.

Rose stayed inside her 'room' until after she heard the Dursley's car depart. It was only then that Rose crept out of the cupboard and headed to the kitchen to grab a cereal bar from the closet. She didn't dare touch anything in the refrigerator; Aunt Petunia had found out that Rose had taken some sandwich fixings once and Rose was locked in her cupboard for a week for that, after Vernon had his way with her.

Quiet as a mouse, she headed to Dudley's room to snatch a crayon and some paper. Dudley wouldn't notice. He was more worried about his T.V. and video games to bother with paper and crayons.

Quickly, as though she was afraid she might be caught; she ran back to her cupboard and closed the door. Only then did she sigh with relief and relax. She fluffed the torn and ruined blankets and sheets into a chair, and sat in front of a small shelf that she used like a desk. Prying up a loose floorboard, she pulled out the flashlight she had stowed there. The slats in the door didn't let enough light through to see clearly. She flicked it on and set it on the shelf, before taking up the crayon and drawing.

She spent hours imagining to herself that she lived with her parents in an enchanted castle, filled with people who could do magic. Dragons and giants were her best friends, and she would take a ride on the back of a unicorn through an enchanted forest every day. And at night, she would gaze at the stars from the tallest tower, her mom and dad on either side.

She let a few tears fall on the paper before brushing them away. She knew they weren't coming back, but sometimes she hated them for leaving her like this. They should have known how horrible her Aunt and Uncle were, so why had they chosen the Dursley, of all people, for her to live with?

Then she felt horrible about herself, blaming her parents on her current situation. They hadn't meant to die, and somehow she knew that looking down on her from heaven, they also hated the Dursley's as much as she did.

She sobbed herself to sleep, and dreamt of a world where everyone loved her as much as they could. She dreamed of a big black shaggy dog as her best friend in the world, and they would run around a large tree for hours. A giant with long brown hair suddenly intruded, riding a flying motorcycle. It rumbled and roared, and Rose laughed.

Rose suddenly awoke to the sound of the car pulling into the driveway. Suddenly remembering something, she hid the flashlight and sprinted to the kitchen, hurriedly putting some chicken on the grill. Rose kept her eyes on it as Aunt Petunia swept in.

"How is the dinner coming?" Petunia lashed. Rose flinched.

"I started a few minutes ago, ma'am. I hope chicken with rice and mixed vegetables are good enough, ma'am." Petunia glowered, then came around behind her. Rose cringed, but kept her focus on the three large slabs of chicken breast on the grill, adding some parsley, basil and barbeque sauce.

"Where's the fourth?" Rose looked up, startled. Was she insinuating that Rose was supposed to eat with them? Petunia noticed her startled glance, then grimaced.

"Not for you, you hopeless wretch! For Dudley's friend, Piers!" She screeched. Rose's thoughts fell with a crash, and, without a word, she went over to the freezer to pull out another chicken breast. Petunia nodded before retreating from the kitchen. Rose breathed a sigh of relief. Somehow she had escaped her Aunt's formidable wrath. Although the one she was now worried about was-

Dudley and Piers walked in, grinning stupidly, talking about some video game. Rose hunched over trying to keep herself inconspicuous as she finished cooking the chicken. However, they both came into the kitchen, pausing when the saw her. Rose winced, knowing what was coming next.

"Hey, Duds, ain't that your little cousin?" Piers asked. Rose fought to make herself look as small as possible as Dudley glanced her way. Rose just knew the smile that was about to spread across his face, and it always preceded something bad.

"Why yes, Piers. It would seem she's being the nice little slave and cooking my dinner." Piers roared with laughter, and Rose's cheeks flushed with anger. She tried to keep herself focused on the meal she was preparing. Dudley and Piers, however, had other plans.

"Smells good. But I know what would make it smell better." Piers grinned. Rose felt her blood turn icy. 'They wouldn't dare-' But the next second, Piers and Dudley had grabbed her arms, and were forcing them towards the grill.

"NO! Stop!" Rose screamed, but they just laughed, and pressed her hands to the grill.

Rose shrieked in pain as she fought to take her hands away from the burning metal. She could feel her skin sizzling, and smell the burning flesh, and she fought to keep her stomach down. She felt something rushing through her veins, as she wished for anything to stop the pain.

Abruptly, both Dudley and Piers let go, and Rose pulled her hands away from the grill. She collapsed to the floor, sobbing in pain, not noticing that Dudley and Piers had been flung all the way across the room into the wall.

Vernon and Petunia burst into the kitchen, and, taking in the scene, rushed over to where Dudley and Piers were standing up, looking at Rose in fear.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO THEM, FREAK?" Vernon roared as he stomped over to where Rose sat, cradling her burnt hands.

"I-I…I d-d-didn't d-d-do…"

"What did I tell you about hurting my son!" Vernon hissed, grabbing her painfully by the shoulder, cuffing her head roughly.

"Th-th..they h-h-h-eld m-m-my hands…on th-the g-g-grill." Rose sobbed, showing him her hands, where mottled red and black streaks ran over them.

"I DON"T CARE WHAT YOU DID TO YOURSELF!" Vernon shouted, and, taking Rose by the collar of her overlarge shirt, half-carried, half-dragged her to the cupboard and threw her in. She listened, and heard Vernon locking the several locks on the door, and stalking away, muttering to himself about 'freaks,' 'un-naturalness' and other such nonsense.

Rose noticed that Vernon's old glasses had cracked on impact with the opposite wall, and she was sure her cheek was going to have another bruise. Worst of all, she couldn't do anything with her hands; it hurt just to move her fingers.

Rose curled up on the bedding, sobbing herself to sleep through the pain. After all, she told herself, it'd be the same the next morning.

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**July 31****st**

**9:35 AM**

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Rose awoke the next morning on her own, sleeping in until late morning. Sleepily, she rubbed her eyes-and promptly yelped in pain. She took a few bewildered seconds to remember the events of the previous night, then groaned and flopped back on the bedding.

She noticed the Dursley had been kind enough to let her eat- a slice of bread and cheese with a half-glass of water stood at the very edge of the floor. Gingerly, she took it and ate hungrily, then drank a sip of water, knowing that she would be thirsty later. She winced as she raised it up to the shelf, but steeled herself through the seemingly easy task, so she wouldn't accidentally spill it later.

Rose spent the morning just sitting and thinking, her thoughts flitting around everywhere. Briefly, she wondered what day it was, when it all came back with a shuddering halt.

It was her birthday.

Rose groaned, and hugged her knees to herself. The Dursley's loved tormenting her on her birthday, and she was sure they wouldn't miss the chance to do so this year, either. She began wondering why the house was so quiet.

Quite accidentally, about an hour later, she found out that her door had been left unlocked. Bewildered, she left the cupboard, glancing out the window to confirm the car was gone.

Rose quickly ran to the closet, pulling out another cereal bar and munching greedily. She also refilled her cup, taking long drinks to sate her thirst. It was only then that she thought of going to the bathroom to get some bandages for her hands.

She crept upstairs, even though she knew the Dursley's were away. The bathroom closet was filled with first-aid supplies, and there was sure to be some gauze bandages there. She poked through the medicines and pills until she found a small-cardboard box that looked promising.

Heading downstairs with the box, she began tenderly wrapping her hands in the soft gauze, nearly sighing in the relief that the pre-medicated strips gave. She noticed the pile of mail at the door, and picked it up, carrying it to the table. Absentmindedly, she flicked through the letters, looking at each of them.

"Vernon…Petunia…Vernon….Vernon…Dudley? Odd…Petunia…Vernon… Rose…Vernon…Pet-" Rose paused. Had she really seen her name on one of them? Slowly, she flipped back a few letters, then stopped.

There it was. A large, golden envelope with her name, Rose Lily Potter, written in elegant green ink. It was addressed to her, even naming the 'Cupboard under the Stairs' right under her name. Her eyes flitted to the upper-let hand corner.

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Oh please." Rose sighed. Probably a prank played by Dudley. Still, Rose wondered. The crest on the corner didn't seem drawn in by a child, and the letter looked too prim and proper to be Dudley.

Rose placed the rest of the mail on the table, absentmindedly tapping the envelope against the wall. She decided to keep it anyways, and she returned to her cupboard, placing it with the flashlight under the loose floorboard, unopened. Still, for a brief moment, Rose had felt completely entranced by it, and she couldn't help but think that the envelope was important somehow…

The Dursley's returned later, in the evening, dressed up as though they had just been to a big party. Petunia stuck her head in the cupboard to see Rose sitting against the back wall, hugging her knees to her chest.

"Why isn't dinner ready for us?" She hissed. Rose looked up, her eyes red and puffy.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. I didn't know when you were going to be back." She whispered.

"The note on the fridge told you when!"

"I wasn't aware that my door was open, ma'am. I thought I heard Uncle Vernon lock it last night and never thought to leave." Rose replied.

"Well, you can be sure you aren't leaving now." Petunia screeched, slamming the cupboard door and locking several of the locks on the door. Rose sighed, then put her head back in her arms, scrunching herself up tighter.

"I just want a place I can call home."

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**A/N:** Review please! It's only a short click away!


	3. Diagon Alley

**A/N: **Hello again! Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer:** Lalala….HP's not my idea….lalala…

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**August 3****rd**

**8:01 AM**

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Two days passed before Rose was let out of the cupboard again. Her two bruises had turned a nasty shade of green, and she was beginning to suspect that her burns had been infected, due to the slight unnatural green and blue tinge forming on the edges of the burn. Rose didn't say anything, however, in fear of getting beaten yet again.

Rose was in the middle of cooking breakfast, yet again, when she heard the mail flap being opened and several letters being put in.

"Go get the mail, girl." Vernon huffed. Quickly, Rose put down the pan, and ran to the door. Without looking at the mail, she ran back to the table, depositing the stack in front of Vernon before returning to the pan, hoping the food hadn't burned. Just as she had sighed in relief, for the food was not burnt, Vernon jumped up, a letter held in his hands.

"PETUNIA!" He yelled, startling both Rose and Dudley, who was in the middle of playing his video games. Rose quickly dished out the food before Petunia ran in, looking slightly flustered.

"What is it, darling?" She asked, and Vernon gave her the letter, eyeing Rose oddly. Rose cringed, and shaking in fright that she had somehow unwittingly done something wrong, took the plates out to the table with the silverware and drinks. Petunia gasped, and glanced at Rose.

"We have to hide her. Pretend she's out." Petunia whispered harshly. Vernon nodded, before grabbing Rose by the arm. Stifling a yelp of surprise, she let Vernon drag her to her cupboard.

"Now you listen to me, freak. No noise at all, no matter what you hear, _or else!_" And with that, Vernon shoved Rose into the cupboard where she fell, scraping her forehead against something sharp. She heard the locks being engaged, and Vernon walking away, muttering. Wincing, Rose pushed herself up, and felt her forehead. A thin line of blood was running down to her face. She quickly ripped a length of fabric from the dirty sheets and tied it around her head in an impromptu bandage.

Rose settled down to wait for a while next to the cupboard door. At least they hadn't forbidden her from listening in on whatever happened. Silently, she leaned against the door and waited.

She had sat there for only fifteen minutes when the doorbell rang. Instantly alert, she listened as both Vernon and Petunia headed to wards the door.

"Good morning, Mr and Mrs Dursley. I do hope you got my letter?" She heard a taut voice ask.

"Yes, come in, come in. We were just discussing the matter." Vernon replied politely.

"Shall we go to the sitting room?" Petunia continued.

"All right." Rose heard the mystery visitor being lead to the room right across the hall.

"Would you like some tea, madam?" She heard Dudley asking. Rose snorted in disbelief. The entire family was in on the act!

"If you would be so kind." There was a pause, and then Dudley leaving. "As you know, I am here concerning the interests of Rose Lily Potter." Rose's eyes widened.

"Unfortunately, she is out on a walk right now, Mrs McGonagall." McGonagall? Rose softly slid to the loose floor board, prying it up and plucking the letter out. Scanning the left hand corner, she caught what she was looking for.

The return address was to a Minerva McGonagall at Hogwarts.

Rose felt her heart beating hard. What could all this mean? She quickly listened in on the conversation again.

"Ms. Potter will be enrolled at Hogwarts, as per her parents wishes!" McGonagall sounded exasperated all of a sudden. Rose's brow furrowed.

"She will do no such thing. We have talked to her and she does not wish to leave her friends at school." Rose twitched. As if she had ever been to school before! They were blatantly lying to this woman!

"I know she is here, Dursley." McGonagall's voice turned hard as ice. Rose's eyes widened.

"How-"

"Simple. I cast a human life detection spell on the house before I rang. Four people. Unless I'm gravely mistaken, you do not have a second child. So, I will only ask once more. Where is Ms. Potter?" Silence reigned in the sitting room, and Rose peeked out of the slats. McGonagall was in the large armchair facing away from her, and the Dursley in a love seat facing her.

"Fine. I will find her myself." Mc Gonagall stood, turned, and her eyes fell on Rose's door. Rose squeezed her eyes shut, holding her breath. She didn't want this McGonagall to find her, or the Dursley's would hurt her again.

"Why are there so many locks on a simple cupboard?" She heard McGonagall hiss. Neither Vernon nor Petunia answered. McGonagall turned back to the door, and watched as the woman pulled out a length of wood and point it at the door.

_"Alohamora!"_ Rose watched as a jet of light struck the door, and heard every lock on the door disengage. Rose then realized that she was leaning against the door, and now the door was open. Unfortunately, she realized this too late.

Rose fell out of the cupboard, hissing in pain as she caught herself on her hands. McGonagall gasped, striding forwards towards Rose. Suddenly very afraid, Rose whimpered and scrambled backwards, staring at the woman in abject terror. McGonagall stopped, staring at Rose with wide eyes.

"Ms. Potter? Rose, is that you?" The woman asked. Slowly, shaking in fright, Rose nodded. McGonagall rounded on the Dursley.

"I have half a mind to kill you where you both stand. You ought to be ashamed of yourself, treating a defenseless little girl this way! How dare you!" McGonagall exploded, quivering in anger.

"She's a freak, just like the rest of you lot!" Vernon shouted, before McGonagall's wand was pointed between his eyes.

"I'm going to talk to Ms. Potter, and you Dursley's will not interfere, so help me Merlin." McGonagall's voice was icy cold, and Rose shivered.

"You will do no such-"

"You go too far, Dursley's. I will talk to her, whether you like it or not. This is your last warning to leave this room immediately." The rage in McGonagall's voice, as well as the wand pointed at his face, finally convinced Vernon, and he slowly pulled Petunia into the kitchen. McGonagall dropped her arm and sighed, rubbing her forehead. Then she looked back into the cupboard, where Rose was still staring at her, less in fear now than in shock.

"Rose? Please come out here, I seem to have a lot to explain and not a lot of time." Rose paused. What was this woman going on about. But something in the woman's eyes showed Rose that she could be trusted, and Rose slowly left the cupboard.

"You obviously saw how I opened the locks on your...door, correct?" Rose nodded.

"Have you ever done something that you couldn't explain? Like, finding yourself at the top of a tree without remembering climbing it?" She asked. Rose blinked, her mind wandering back to when Dudley and Piers had burnt her hands, and Rose nodded.

"Have you ever wondered why that happened?" Rose nodded again. It was a source of many of her daydreams, although she wouldn't admit it. McGonagall leaned forwards, and gently steered Rose into a seat in the sitting room, silently noticing how Rose had flinched when she had been touched.

"You are a witch, Rose." Rose's brow furrowed.

"What did you call me?" Rose whispered.

"No, I don't mean the muggle sort of witch, going around cackling and whatnot. You can use magic." Rose's mind reeled. Magic? What was this woman going on about? Suddenly, Rose's mind clicked into place, and she frowned.

"This isn't funny. Dudley set you up for this, I know it. How much is he paying you?" Rose asked, feeling anger bubbling in her stomach. McGonagall sighed, taking out the thin piece of wood again.

"Perhaps another demonstration is in order?" Rose watched warily, and McGonagall gave it a little flick at the table. The table suddenly turned into a pig, which ran off, squealing. Rose's eyes widened. McGonagall waved it at Rose, and after handing her a mirror, Rose noticed that the bruises on her face had disappeared.

"Do it again...but make this into a monkey." Rose replied, handing the woman the lamp beside her, wanting to make sure that this hadn't all been preplanned. As soon as McGonagall nodded and flicked the wand again, the lamp scampered out of her hand, now very hairy monkey. It headed into the kitchen, where Rose heard the Dursley promptly cry out in surprise. Rose looked back at McGonagall, but in her place was a grey tabby cat.

Rose frowned, confused, until the cat morphed back into McGonagall. Rose blinked, then stood.

"All right. So...I'm a witch. You're a witch too, then?" McGonagall nodded. "You called the Dursley's muggles?"

"Non-magic folk, to be precise." McGonagall nodded. Rose blinked, then remembered the envelope in her hand.

"And this is?" She asked, waving it at the woman.

"You haven't opened it?" McGonagall asked incredulously. Rose suddenly felt very foolish, and winced.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, I thought it was one of Dudley's pranks." Rose replied softly. McGonagall sighed, then got off the couch and kneeled in front of Rose.

"Listen to me, Rose. I know we've just met, and you're having a hard time adjusting to all this. You have to trust me, all right? I promise, I'm not going to hurt you in any way." McGonagall spoke softly. Rose felt a shiver run up her spine, and she just knew that the older woman was telling the truth. She wasn't sure how she knew, she just did.

"Okay." Rose said softly. McGonagall nodded, and stood.

"I assume you dislike your current conditions here? And that you wish to learn more about magic in general?" Rose nodded eagerly, and for the first time, McGonagall noticed that Rose's eyes shone happily. McGonagall couldn't help but smile.

"Then come. If you're lucky, you'll never come here again, if I can help it. Do you have anything you wish to take before we leave?" Rose quickly shook her head.

"Where are we going?" Rose asked.

"We are headed to Diagon Alley, to buy the things you need to attend Hogwarts. Now, I want you to hold on tight to this. This is a portkey, an item enchanted to take us wherever I have told it. This one will take us to the Leaky Cauldron, the store which is the entrance to the Alley. You'll feel a tug, but don't panic." McGonagall held out a coffee mug, and Rose grasped the handle.

"Ready? One, two, three!" McGonagall tapped her wand on the cup three times, and suddenly, Rose felt a jerk around her stomach. The surroundings changed blurring and contorting into a mass of colored light, swirling faster and faster around them, until she became dizzy and had to shut her eyes.

Abruptly, Rose felt her feet slam into the ground, and she collapsed, too dizzy to keep herself up. McGonagall held out a hand, patiently waiting for Rose to collect herself before pulling her to her feet. McGonagall's brow furrowed, noticing Rose's bare feet.

"Just a second, Rose. I'm sure you'd rather have something a bit more fitting to wear?" McGonagall tapped the sweater, which turned into a loose t-shirt, and the sweat pants into a long, flowing skirt. A pair of sandals appeared next to her feet, which Rose quickly slipped on.

"I'd cover your scar with your hair, if I were you. It's better to be inconspicuous around here." Rose quickly brushed some of her hair over her scar, and followed McGonagall into the Leaky Cauldron.

Rose hadn't known what to expect in a place called the Leaky Cauldron, but it certainly wasn't what she found. Random stools of varying heights and sizes were strewn about the room around different tables, and all sorts of people sat at them, conversing among themselves. A bar lined the opposite side of the room, where an old man was cleaning a pair of glasses. McGonagall lead Rose towards a door on the opposite side of the room.

"Professor McGonagall! How splendid it is to see you. Business as usual?" The barkeep asked.

"Yes, just getting a student ready for Hogwarts, Tom. This one lost her parents, so I'm helping her around." McGonagall smiled pleasantly. Tom, the old barkeep, looked down at Rose, who cringed and averted her eyes.

"No need to be alarmed, missy. No one 'round here will hurt you. We're all pleasant folk." Tom laughed, and so did a few other patrons.

"Thank you, Tom, but we really must be going. Lots to do, you know." McGonagall ushered Rose towards the door.

"Have a pleasant day, ma'am!" Tom cried amiably, before returning to wiping his glasses. McGonagall lead Rose out the door, pulling out her wand. Rose's brow furrowed, confused. Why were they in a small room filled with garbage?

"Lets see....15 up from the floor, 13 across...Stand back, Rose." McGonagall tapped a certain brick three times, and Rose watched in amazement as the bricks parted and moved apart, forming an archway. Through the arch, Diagon Alley lay, filled with bustling people. Rose suddenly felt her stomach drop out. There were so many people! And all so close!

"Stay close to me, Rose. It wouldn't do well to get separated." Rose couldn't help but look around in amazement as they passed shop after shop, filled with extraordinary things. She couldn't help but overhear a bunch of boys in front of a store filled with brooms commenting, "It's the new Nimbus 2000! Fastest broom in the world!" Rose couldn't help but notice the hundreds of owls in cages in the pet store, nor the stacks of books in the book store.

"We'll be stopping off at most of these stores, we just need some money first." Rose's stomach plummeted again.

"Um...Mrs. McGonagall?"

"Please, call me Minerva outside of school." McGonagall smiled gently.

"Minerva, then...I don't have any...money..." Rose faltered, unable to keep the unsteady waver out of her voice.

"You don't need to worry about that, Rose. Your parents left you a large sum of wizarding money behind when they...died. We're just going to your trust fund to collect some." Rose's heart rose. A large sum of money? How she wished she could see the Dursley's faces if they ever found out.

McGonagall lead Rose towards a large marble building, with the title 'Gringotts Wizarding Bank' above the large double doors. Rose was shocked to notice that goblins ran the bank, but didn't comment on the fact.

"Name?" The goblin behind the counter asked. McGonagall ushered Rose forwards, and she fidgeted nervously.

"R-Rose Lily P-Potter." The goblin's eyes widened briefly, before flicking to her forehead.

"Ah, Ms. Potter. Yes, well then, do you have your key?" Rose faltered, glancing back at McGonagall. Smiling slightly, McGonagall drew out a small envelope and handed it to the goblin. The goblin opened it with a sharp fingernail, and shook a small key out into his hand.

"Very well. Griphook! Take these two to the Potter Trust Vault."

"Just one moment. Has you-know-what in vault you-know-which been taken yet?" McGonagall interrupted, glancing around. The goblin consulted a book in front of him.

"Yes, the vault was emptied by a 'Rubeus Hagrid' about forty five minutes ago." McGonagall nodded, and ushered Rose to follow the second goblin out of the atrium.

One long, fast, exhilarating cart trip later, Rose was stumbling out after Griphook in front of a steel door. Griphook opened the door with the small key McGonagall had produced, and Rose's eyes widened at all the gold, silver and bronze laying before them.

"The bronze ones are knuts, the silver are sickles, and the gold coins are galleons. I would suggest taking around a hundred galleons; That much should last you through the year, if we miss anything today." Still slightly stunned, Rose counted out a hundred galleons and put them in a velvet bag that Griphook handed her, before taking the cart back up to the atrium.

As soon as they got there, however, they found it jam packed with people, much more than those who had just been milling about before, and many of them with cameras. Many were whispering excitedly amongst themselves. McGonagall held Rose back, just out of sight of the milling throng of people.

"I was afraid of this. Ms. Potter, I'm going to have to change your appearance so we're not disturbed. I'm going to transform into a cat again, and you will carry me out of the bank, all right?"

"W-why? D-did I do s-something bad?" Rose whimpered. McGonagall's face softened.

"No, Rose. You have no reason to fear. However, this...hoard of people is here to meet you, and as soon as we escape them, I will explain why, all right?" Rose nodded, and McGonagall shortened her hair, changed her eye and hair color, and tried to cover her scar with a glamour charm, but failing, before she turned into a cat. Rose gathered the grey tabby cat into her arms, hoping that she wasn't hurting the woman, and stepped out to head out of the bank.

Several people looked at her, but groaned in disappointment when they didn't recognize her. Rose felt herself freeze up. How was she supposed to get through all those people? They were packed so close together, and Rose suddenly became very afraid. McGonagall must have felt her fear, and she began nuzzling at Rose's chin, purring loudly.

Rose felt a measure of her fear leave her, and, scratching the grey tabby cat behind it's ears, dove into the crowd. Some people moved out of her way to let her pass, for which she was grateful for, but others ignored her, and Rose was forced to find a different way. Several times she felt herself beginning to panic with so many people around, but McGonagall merely nuzzled her again, subtly pointing in the correct direction.

Just as she was getting out of the crowd, a rather rude wizard tripped her, sending Rose to the floor. Yelping in surprise and pain, she fell to her hands and knees, McGonagall landing on four paws. Rose felt tears welling up in her eyes, the pain from her burnt hands overwhelming her. As she stood again, however, she absently noticed that her hair was black again. McGonagall froze as well, staring at her, before motioning her to follow her quickly. Rose quickly followed the grey tabby cat, and was almost at the exit, when someone shouted.

"Hey! There she is! At the exit! The Girl-Who-Lived!" A great roar rose from the crowd, and Rose felt herself being surrounded once more. Camera flashes and questions began overwhelming her, and Rose felt the semblance of order that she had felt before crumbling. Breaking down, Rose fell to her knees, covering her ears with her hands, sobbing to herself, just wishing that the people would leave her alone.

Through her tears, she could make out the strict voice of McGonagall reprimanding the crowd, although Rose hadn't seen her revert back to her original form. From behind, she felt a large hand on her shoulder, and she froze, then peered over her shoulder.

Standing behind her was the largest man Rose had ever seen, with wild, shaggy hair framing his face, and beetle-black eyes shining. Rose instantly recognized him from her dreams as the giant on the flying motorcycle.

"'ello there Rose. Seems you got yourself noticed on you' first trip to Gringotts, eh?" The giant's gruff voice asked kindly. Rose nodded, trying to wipe the tears from her eyes. The appearance of the giant and McGonagall's tirade had cleared out most of the crowd, although a select few still hung back.

"Ah, Hagrid. I see you've met Ms. Potter, again." Rose glanced to McGonagall, who still looked rather cross at the crowd's behavior.

"Sure 'ave, Professor. Although I 'aven't gotten 'round to introducin' me'self. Name's Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper o' the Keys an' Grounds a' Hogwarts." Hagrid held out his hand, and Rose gingerly took it, being helped to her feet.

"Hagrid's the one who took you to us from your house. You've delivered the package to Dumbledore then?" McGonagall asked.

"Sure 'ave. Said 'e's storin' it at th' moment. Sent me back 'ere in case somthin' like this 'appened." Hagrid grinned.

"Thank you for that, Hagrid. So you won't mind accompanying us around to go shopping?"

"'Course not, Professor. Been waiting fo' th' moment I could 'elp 'lil Rose out again." Hagrid beamed.

"Right. But first, we must explain to Ms. Potter why she is famous."

"What? Those blasted Dursley's didn' tell 'er or nuthin'?" McGonagall shook her head.

"They're worse than I thought, Hagrid. I found her locked in a cupboard under the stairs, and it seems the Dursley's have been...less than kind to her." McGonagall replied. Hagrid looked furious.

"Come, Rose. We can talk on the way. Ollivander's will be the first stop." As they walked, McGonagall explained to Rose the true events behind her parent's death, and why the throng of people had labeled her the 'Girl-who-lived' and were so excited to see her. Hagrid also managed to fill in about why Voldemort was so feared, and at the mention of his name, several witches and wizards around them yelped in fright. Conveniently at the end of the explanation, Rose found herself entering Ollivander's Wand store.

"Ah, Ms Potter. How good to see you." Mr. Ollivander said, appearing seemingly out of nowhere. "Here for your first wand, I take it?" Rose nodded, and Mr. Ollivander smiled.

"All right then. Let me take a few measurements to get started." He pulled out a length of measuring tape and began measuring her right arm, her fingers, her head, torso, legs, and such before moving off into the rows of boxes, leaving the measuring tape to continue measuring each individual eyelash.

"The wand chooses the witch, Ms. Potter, so don't mind if we run through a few before we find the right one. Just give it a wave, Ms Potter." Ollivander said, handing her a wand. Tentatively, Rose flicked it a little, but Ollivander quickly took it out of her grasp.

"No good, no good, well then try this one." Rose had barely moved it when Ollivander had plucked it out of her hands and moved back to among the rows of boxes to gather a few more.

Rose began feeling a little bit dejected, watching the pile of discarded wands growing on the chair where Ollivander deposited them. As Ollivander took another one out of her grasp, he paused, straightened, and looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Why didn't I think of that sooner...I mean, clearly, it should make sense...Well, possibly....No no no...Well, let's give it a try anyways." Ollivander disappeared into a door behind the counter, and Rose heard him searching for something for a few minutes, before a cry of triumph pealed from the room. Ollivander came back out, looking pleased, and held a box out to Rose.

"Eleven and three quarter's inches, Holly, core of a pheonix feather. Go ahead, I think you'll like this one." Cautiously, Rose reached out and grasped the wand, softly crying out in surprise as she touched it. A feeling of sudden warmth shot through her body from her hand, and a feeling of closeness and safety. Ollivander's eyes sparkled.

"Go ahead, give it a wave." Slightly more confidently, Rose waved it gently, and a soft sparkle of red and gold dust issued from the end of the wand. Rose smiled to herself.

"Very good, very good, Ms Potter. Very curious indeed. You will realize, however, that this wand's brother is the one that gave you that scar on your forehead. Very curious how these things work out." Ollivander smiled. Rose frowned, quickly brushing her bangs over the scar, and paid Ollivander five galleons and ten sickles before retreating. While McGonagall and Rose had been buying her wand, Hagrid had taken the responsibility of gathering Rose's first year books and supplies, so McGonagall brought Rose into Madam Malkin's Robe store.

A pale boy with pale blonde hair was already there, and a witch was busily fitting a set of robes to him. When the pale boy glanced at her, Rose immediately felt his gaze searching her, roving up and down her body. Rose shivered; this boy stared at her almost hungrily, like the way Dudley looked at a piece of chicken, or at Rose herself when he was about to do something very nasty to her. A second witch, older, around McGonagall's age, came up to them, blocking the pale boy's view of her.

"First set of robes, then? Come stand over here, I'll need a few measurements." Rose felt a sense of deja vu as Madam Malkin measured her in a few places, then bustled away to a back room while the measuring tape continued on.

"Going to Hogwarts then? My name's Draco Malfoy. We'll be seeing a lot of each other then." The pale boy said. Rose shivered at Draco's tone of voice; it reminded her too much of Aunt Petunia when she looked at her like she was no better than dirt. Rose nodded, but kept her eyes on the floor.

"They say we're not supposed to bring brooms our first year, but my father's going to talk them into letting me have one." Draco sneered haughtily. Rose glanced over at McGonagall, who was looking disinterested at a wizarding newspaper, but when she glanced up to meet Rose's eyes, a glimmer of amusement was running through them.

"My mother's buying my school books and such. By the way, what house do you think you're going to be in?" Rose glanced up at Draco, who was looking at himself in the mirror. Rose glanced back at McGonagall, but some article had caught her eye, and Rose was lost.

"I'm going to be in Slytherin. Best house there is in Hogwarts. Both my parents went there, and only people who deserve to be at Hogwarts are in Slytherin." Rose's brow furrowed. He sounded just like Uncle Vernon, insinuating that she wasn't good enough to live at his house.

"So what's your name, oh silent one?" Draco sneered, glancing over at her. Rose caught that look of superiority again, and her mind raced. She didn't want another episode like that in the bank, and she glanced back at McGonagall.

"Well, if you know what's best for you, you'll hook up with me, you hear, girl?" Suddenly, Rose definitely felt dislike for this boy rushing through her, and she ignored his poffered hand.

"I think I can tell for myself who to trust and who to ignore." Rose replied softly, but confidently. Draco's brow furrowed, but before he could respond, Madam Malkin came back out and ushered Rose into a changing room. After changing into the Hogwart's uniform and going back out to the stools and mirrors, Draco Malfoy had left. Rose sighed in relief. That boy was like all of the Dursley's put into one little package, and Rose was sure she didn't want to be anywhere near him when the time came.

Rose pulled both McGonagall and Hagrid into an eyeglasses boutique, and after learning that all lenses were charmed to automatically adjust to the wearer, chose a pair of thin, round rimmed glasses. Immediately, she could see the difference, and everything got so much clearer. Rose grinned, looking around, drinking in all the clear details she could.

Rose paused in front of the broom store, where a taller red-haired boy stood looking slightly longingly in the window. Rose looked at the broom there, the Nimbus 2000, and felt a sudden urge, a pull towards it, as though she knew exactly what she wanted to do, just go flying on it. No restrictions, no limits...She was startled out of her daydreaming by McGonagall a few minutes later.

"You'll be allowed to have one next year, don't you worry. Still, your father was an incredible flyer, and I wouldn't be surprised if you turn out to be a natural." McGonagall smiled, and Rose looked up at her. "Hagrid's gone to buy you a present. He said he's getting something he thinks you'll like a lot."

That moment, Hagrid reappeared, beaming, holding an owl in a cage. The owl was a snowy white, and clicked it's beak it her as Rose took the cage from the giant. Without thinking, Rose put a hand into the cage, petting the beautiful bird's feathers. She winced for a second, remembering her burns, and both McGonagall and Hagrid noticed.

"Rose? What's wrong?" McGonagall asked. Rose flushed, keeping her gaze on the owl in front of her. It hooted softly, locking her in a baleful gaze. McGonagall knelt next to her, taking her hand in hers. Both Hagrid and McGonagall gasped in astonishment.

"It doesn't hurt so much anymore." Rose whispered. McGonagall looked furious, and Rose winced, shrinking away from her. McGonagall noticed, and her gaze softened.

"Rose, you shouldn't have to put up with those...wretched people! No one should have to live in a cupboard, or fear their relatives, or be afraid that they will be hurt for every little mistake. It was a mistake to give you to those horrible Durselys, no one should have to live with those people." Rose felt ashamed, until Hagrid knelt down as well and gathered Rose up into a soft bear hug. Slightly astonished, Rose felt tears gathering in her eyes, and she hugged the man back, grabbing at the man as though her life depended on it.

Rose broke down, sobbing and refusing to let the man go, even though her arms couldn't even reach around to the giant's back. Hagrid ended up carrying Rose, and after Rose felt better, Rose climbed up and sat on one of Hagrid's massive shoulders, feeling like a parrot. Everyone seemed small from up on the giant's shoulders, switching which shoulder she was on every once in a while to make sure that neither of Hagrid's shoulders got too tired.

McGonagall treated both of the others to ice cream at the ice cream parlor, and Rose laughed when Hagrid's ice cream got all over his beard. Several other people introduced themselves, and the ice cream parlor soon became full of people, sitting down and throwing furtive glances at Rose every once in a while. Rose noticed the red-haired boy from the broom store walk by, with several other red-haired people who were obviously his family. Rose felt an uncomfortable clenching near her heart, and she squirmed, hurriedly eating another spoonful of ice cream.

As they entered the Leaky Cauldron, Rose suddenly froze up again, looking up at McGonagall.

"Where are we going now?" Rose asked in a timid voice. McGonagall smiled.

"You're not going back to the Dursley's, if that's what you're afraid about, Rose. We're going to get you a room here, and Hagrid's going to stay with you until September first, when you'll get on the Hogwarts Express." Rose sighed in relief, and McGonagall brought her towards the bar.

"Tom, this is Rose Potter. She needs a room until Hogwarts begins." Tom leaned over the bar, smiling at Rose.

"I have just the room."

Tom lead Rose upstairs, up to the second door on the right. The room was slightly dank, but it was large, with two beds, a king and a queen size, a nice dresser, and a window view towards Diagon Alley. Rose sat down next to the window, watching people milling around. Rose easily spotted the red-haired family, and wondered what it would be like to have such a large family. She counted seven of them. Five children. Rose heard Hagrid putting all of the previously shrunken items around the room (McGonagall had miniaturized them to make them easier to carry).

"I'll see you at Hogwarts, Rose." Rose smiled and waved at McGonagall, who smiled and disappeared with a pop. Rose looked back out the window, but the red-haired family had also disappeared.

"Rose, why don' you ge' all your stuff in your trunk there. Plenty 'o stuff t' look through, there. I'm gonn' 'ter 'ave a talk wit' Tom down stairs. Call me 'f you need me, al'right?" Rose nodded, going over and emptying the several bags. Quickly, she looked through everything, putting the Potions supplies into the cauldron, setting it into a corner, before filling in the rest of the bottom with her robes and uniform.

She glanced over at the pile of books, and frowned. She had taught herself to read, slowly, but she still wasn't a very fast reader. Rose thought for a second, before picking one up and flipping through it, before starting reading through chapter one...

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**A/N: **Please review! It's just a short click away!


	4. To Hogwarts!

**A/N: **Once again, please read and review!

**Disclaimer:** Once again, HP's not my idea! It's JK Rowling's!

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**September 1st**

**8:56 AM**

**Leaky Cauldron**

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Rose smiled, putting down the potions textbook. It was finally time to go, and Rose had been waiting for about a month to get going. Hagrid was stomping up the stairs, and Rose quickly put the textbook into the trunk and locked it, picking up Hedwig in her cage and feeding her an owl treat.

"Ready 'ter go ther', Rose?" Hagrid asked. Rose nodded, and Hagrid picked up the trunk. Rose followed Hagrid out of the Leaky Cauldron, down to a train station.

"King's Cross. Platform 9 and 3/4th's where you'll find the Hogwarts Express." Rose read on the letter.

"Tha's right. Unfortunately, I go' ter' get goin'. Ther' you go." Hagrid said, putting Rose's trunk on a trolley.

"Where are you going?" Rose asked, suddenly feeling very vulnerable.

"'M sorry, Rose, but Professor Dumbledore aske' me 'ter do sumthin, an' when 'e asks..." Hagrid smiled. Rose nodded. "See 'ou a' school, then. Come down 'ter see me anytime, Rose." Rose nodded again, and the giant man walked off. Rose turned, and looked around.

"Platform 6...Platform 7...Platform 8...Platform 9..." Rose paused. She looked down at the letter. 9 and three quarters. Rose looked up again. Platform 9, Platform 10.

Rose looked around. Where was Platform 9 and three quarters? Rose began to feel very self-conscious, looking around and seeing several people looking at her oddly, with her trunk and her owl. Of course people were going to stare, what kind of muggle would have an owl for a pet?

Rose noticed Draco Malfoy appear through the throng of people, and Rose quickly stood behind her trunk, trying to make herself invisible. Draco didn't see her, however Rose spotted two people who looked like his parents. His father obviously held a disdainful air about him, as though no one he looked at was worth his time. His mother looked too much like a blond Aunt Petunia for Rose to look at her too long without shuddering, imagining Petunia's screaming at her.

Suddenly, all three of them disappeared, somewhere across the Platform from her. Rose stared, blinked, rubbed her eyes, wiped her glasses, but they were still gone. Rose pulled her trunk over to where she last saw the three of them; they were obviously going to the same place she was. She looked around quickly, but there was nothing there.

"-all the muggles about, just get going-" Rose whirled around. Not too far off was a red-haired woman, motioning to several red-haired children. Rose's eyes widened, recognizing the red-haired family from Diagon Alley.

"Come on, Fred-"

"Come on, woman, you call yourself my mother? I'm George, your other twin son!"

"I'm sorry, George, but seriously now-"

"I'm just kidding, ma, it's me, Fred!" And one of the identical red-heads disappeared next to a brick wall, the other one following and disappearing close behind.

"Come on, Ron, you know how this goes-"

"Yes, mom." The red-haired boy from the broom store disappeared, leaving Rose utterly bewildered. The red haired woman and her daughter began moving after them, and suddenly, Rose found herself walking towards them.

"Wait!" The red-haired woman looked around, and spotted Rose coming towards her, pulling her trolley.

"Can I help you?" The woman asked. Rose paused, suddenly feeling very shy again.

"Um...uh...I...The platform...How do I...you know..." Rose fidgeted, and the red-haired woman smiled.

"You must mean getting on the Hogwarts Express. Come, come. Ginny, go on ahead, show her how it's done."

"All right." The red-haired girl smiled, grasping the trolley. "Come on, then. It's easy, you just walk at the wall and you'll go right through." Rose looked at her incredulously.

"You just walk right through?" Rose's brow furrowed. Ginny nodded.

"Come on, we'll do it together." Ginny held out her hand. Rose looked at it, then took it, and walked straight at the wall. Rose followed tentatively, and Ginny glanced at her.

"It's easier to do if you don't think about it. So, what's your name?" Ginny asked.

"Rose." Rose paused, not willing to reveal her last name for fear of having a bunch of people suddenly rushing her. Ginny looked startled.

"Rose, huh? Same name as the girl-who-lived? Must be hard, having people wondering if you're one and the same." Rose looked down, absently brushing her bangs over her scar, a motion Ginny didn't miss. Ginny paused, then stared.

"Hey, Ginny! Took your time, there, and- who's this?" Rose looked up, seeing the twins facing them. Rose was saved from responding as the red-haired woman appeared behind them through the barrier.

"All right then, Fred, George, help this nice girl get her trunk on the train. Ginny, come on then." Rose turned, seeing the red-haired twins lifting her trunk off the trolley and storing it on the luggage compartment. Rose hugged Hedwig's cage to herself, and turned back to where Ginny stood.

"I'm sorry." Rose whispered, then turned away. She stopped, feeling a hand on her shoulder. She turned back to see Ginny smiling at her.

"Will you write to me, Rose? All of my brother's are going to be gone at Hogwarts, and I'm going to be all alone. I need someone to talk to, and my brother's sure won't write to me. Please?" Rose blinked. She glanced around, wondering what was going on, but Ginny smiled at her still.

"Why? Why...why would you want to write to someone like me?" Rose asked, bewildered. Ginny looked confused too.

"Well, you look kind of scared, confused...alone. If you didn't know how to get on the Platform, you must have grown up with a muggle family, and you probably have a lot of questions about magic stuff. I have a lot of questions about muggles too. We could help each other." Rose blinked.

"All..All right. I'll write to you." Rose replied. Ginny smiled, and Rose couldn't help but smile back.

"Here, I'll write down my address so your owl can find me." Ginny asked her mother for some paper and a quill, and quickly jotted down her address.

"Friends?" Ginny asked, handing Rose the paper. Rose paused, then nodded.

"Friends." Ginny smiled again.

"You ready to go?" The red-haired woman asked.

"Yes, thank you Mrs. Weasley." Rose replied, after reading Ginny's last name on the slip of paper. Mrs Weasley looked confused, but Ginny took her hand, and they both smiled.

Rose got on the train as the whistle sounded, and she found a compartment to sit in by herself by the window. Ginny quickly found her, and they waved at each other as the train began pulling out.

Ron poked his head into the compartment a few minutes later.

"Hey, do you mind if I sit here?" He asked. Rose shook her head, and Ron sat down across from her.

"My name's Ron Weasley. I see you met my baby sister."

"Yeah. She's nice. She asked me to write her, you know." Rose replied. "Oh, I'm Rose. Rose Potter."

Ron started, his eyes flicking to her forehead. Rose half-frowned, brushing her bangs out of the way to show him her scar.

"Bloody hell. I'm sharing a train compartment talking to the girl-who-lived." Ron looked incredulous. Rose couldn't help but feel her cheeks burning, and she fidgeted nervously.

"I don't want to be remembered for something that got my parents killed." Rose murmured. Ron suddenly looked ashamed.

"Sorry. I...I didn't think of that..." Rose shook her head.

"No, it's fine...I'm still getting used to the idea that I'm famous and all." Rose shook her head, absently rubbing her scar.

"Really? You...didn't know?"

"I grew up with my Aunt and Uncle. Muggles." Rose shuddered, hugging herself and staring out the window at the trees rushing by.

Hedwig hooted slightly mournfully, and Rose looked up to her cage.

"I'm sorry, Hedwig. Would you like to stretch your wings?" Rose stood up, taking Hedwig's cage and opening it. Hedwig fluttered out, perching on Rose's shoulder. Rose smiled, before sitting back down, taking out some owl treats and letting Hedwig eat them.

"Have you got a pet?" Rose asked, breaking the awkward silence.

"All I've got is my brother's stupid rat, Scabbers." Ron drew out from his pocket an old, grey rat that seemed to be sleeping. Hedwig eyed it, but Rose glanced at her, shaking her head. Hedwig clicked her beak, ruffling her feathers before settling down.

"If he's so stupid, why didn't you get a different pet?" Rose asked, her brow furrowed. Ron grimaced.

"My family doesn't have much money. We always get second hand robes and books." He replied, turning Scabbers over in his hand. Rose huffed.

"As if I don't know how having nothing feels." She muttered. Ron didn't appear to have heard her, and was instead looking out the window.

Ron's stomach suddenly let out a loud growl, and both of the compartment's occupants looked at each other.

"Heh. Mum always did say I had a bottomless stomach." Ron blushed. Rose smirked, until her own stomach let out a growl. Both of them broke into laughter.

"Anything from the cart, dearies?" Both of them turned to see an elderly witch with a cart full of sweets outside the compartment. Ron colored, mumbling he already had his own food. Rose rolled her eyes, before standing up and taking her money pouch from next to Hedwig's cage.

"Let's see...We'll have four of these pastries...ten of these chocolate frogs...two packs of the jelly beans...and two bottles of that juice." Rose picked out. The witch pulled out her selection, setting it on a conjured table in the middle of the compartment.

"That'll be seventeen sickles, and twenty-three knuts." Rose counted out the money, and the witch left. Rose smirked sneakily, seeing Ron looking at the food in earnest.

"I'll trade half of all that for half of your sandwiches." Rose said, sitting down. Ron looked at her, wide-eyed.

"Really? I mean, they're just corned beef-"

"Hey, don't mention it. Besides, you said your mum made them, so they can't be that bad." Rose held out her hand. "Friends?" She asked. Ron looked up at her from his backpack. He smiled, reaching over and shaking her hand.

"So, what is all this stuff anyways?" Rose asked, sitting back and looking at all the food.

"You bought it, and you don't even know what it is?" Ron laughed. "All right, these are pumpkin pastries, these are Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, those are, indeed, Chocolate Frogs, and these are bottles of Pumpkin Juice. Don't worry, it's not actually pumpkin flavored. It's just called that." Ron added, seeing Rose's arched eyebrow at the bottles of juice.

Rose reached over, picking up one of the Chocolate Frogs.

"They don't have real frogs inside them, do they?" Rose asked, watching Ron munching on a pastry.

"Oh no, but they are enchanted to act like a frog until they're in your mouth, so don't let it get away. And check the card, I'm still looking for Agrippa." He added as Rose opened the small box and caught the frog before it jumped out.

"Card?" She asked, popping the frog into her mouth.

"Each chocolate frog had a card in it of a famous witch or wizard. Go ahead, take a look." Rose looked in, seeing the picture of an old man with long, white hair and half-moon spectacles looking back at her. She plucked the card out, and turned it over.

"Huh. I got Dumbledore." Ron looked up.

"Cool. You'll want to hang onto that one. Those are semi-rare. Some like Agrippa or Merlin are really rare, though. Charlie once gave me Merlin as a birthday present." Rose nodded, tucking Dumbledore's card into her pocket. As she picked up her bag of every flavor beans, Ron cautioned her on the 'Every Flavor' bit, and Rose quickly spat out a vomit flavored one, much to Ron's amusement.

The door to the compartment opened as Rose took a swig of Pumpkin Juice, and they both looked out. Rose cringed, seeing Draco Malfoy looking down at the both of them.

"Hello, I heard the girl-who-lived was in this compartment." He paused, and stared at Rose.

"Malfoy." Rose couldn't hold the tremor out of her voice, seeing Ron's questioning look.

"Well, well, well. I got my robes fitted with the celebrity of our generation and didn't even know it. Well, Potter, let me emphasize again, that some families are better to be friendly with than others." He cast a withering glance at Ron. "You must be a Weasley. Red hair, freckles. Misrable lot of blood-traitors if I've ever seen one." Ron scowled.

"Thanks, but no thanks, Malfoy. I may not have parents, but I know bad people when I see them." Rose hissed. Malfoy's eyes narrowed.

"I'd watch your back, Potter. Other's may not be quite so...forgiving." Malfoy smirked. Two other boys appeared next to him, and Rose recoiled. Both of them had the same look in their eyes as Vernon or Dudley when they were about to cause pain.

"Potter, Weasel, meet Crabbe and Goyle." Malfoy gestured. Rose frowned.

"Great, more Dudleys." Rose felt her heart flutter painfully at the thought, and she took a deep breath to calm herself. Both Crabbe and Goyle cracked their knuckles. Ron stood up, stepping between the trio and Rose.

"Hey, back off, you lumbering primates. She's not a banana." Ron smirked. Both Crabbe and Goyle looked perplexed, but Malfoy snarled.

"Watch your tongue, Weasel. Don't ever be alone, or you'll regret it." Malfoy hissed.

"Is that a threat, Malfoy? I've heard plenty about your father that some people might be interested in. Especially that nice little storage area in your drawing room floor. I hear there's a nice cache of dark objects there your dad likes to collect." Malfoy took a step forward, eyes blazing.

"My father is a respectable man in the Ministry. You would do well not to talk about things you obviously have no idea about. Besides, your father works in the Muggle Relations Department. I mean, come on, how stupid can you get?"

"My father could be bossing your father around if he wanted to. He's had lots of recommendations for a rise in office, but he's happy where he is." Ron snarled.

"Just goes to show how foolish he is. Poor bastard that he is-" Ron stepped forwards again, eyes blazing, until Rose suddenly stepped in front of him, wand pointed between Malfoy's eyes.

"Leave Malfoy, before I hex you." Draco began to laugh.

"You, hex me? That's a laugh. You've lived with muggles, how would you know any spells-"

"_Tantellegra!_" Rose cried, and the jet of light hit Malfoy square in the face. Malfoy fell over due to his legs fling out from underneath him, and his eyes widened.

"Don't take me for granted, Malfoy. I spent a month looking through the first years textbooks, and I'm sure I can think of something worse to hit you with if you aren't out of my sight in five seconds." Rose snarled. Malfoy paled, and Crabbe and Goyle hauled him off, grunting in pain as Malfoy accidentally kicked them several ties due to her curse. As they disappeared, Rose turned back to the compartment, where Ron was looking at her in awe.

"You okay Rose?" He asked.

"What? Surprised?" Rose snapped, sitting down. Hedwig had taken to the luggage rack during the altercation, and Rose reached up to pet her.

"No, but you looked mighty scary there for a second. I could feel...power boiling off of you in waves." Rose blinked, glancing back at him.

"Really? I didn't mean to do anything but hex him..."

"Yeah, well when you did it felt like something slammed into me, like a wave from the ocean. You sure you're okay?" Rose sighed, rubbing her forehead. She felt a headache coming on.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry about that." Ron chuckled nervously.

"Just remind me never to get on your bad side." Rose chuckled, sitting down. Ron took something out of his backpack.

"Ever play chess? It always helps me calm down." Rose shook her head, and after a quick tutorial, both became absorbed in the game. Rose quickly lost the first time, but challenged Ron to another match.

A few hours later, Rose still hadn't won, all of the chocolate frogs and pastries were gone, and Rose sucked down the last of her pumpkin juice.

"Man, you're too good at this." Rose sighed, leaning back as Ron won for the sixteenth time in a row.

"When you play for several years against someone like my dad, you learn quite a few things." Ron chuckled. "Rematch?"

Rose was saved from answering as a bushy haired girl looked into their compartment.

"Excuse me, have you seen a toad lately? One of the other students lost his." Rose shook her head, and Ron shrugged.

"Oh. Sorry then. If you see one, please try to catch it. By the way, I'm Hermione Granger."

"Ron Weasley." Ron shook her hand.

"Rose Potter." Rose frowned as Hermione's eyes widened.

"The girl-who-lived? I've read all about you." Rose sighed, sitting back.

"I'm starting to hate that title." Rose grumbled. Ron snickered, turning to look at Hermione.

"Don't worry. Rose was raised by muggles, so this whole 'I'm famous and didn't know' thing is bugging her." Ron explained to a perplexed Hermione.

"Oh. Sorry about that. I'm a muggle-born, if that helps. Mom and Dad were quite surprised when I got my letter." Hermione said. "I have to keep looking for Neville's toad. Call me if you see it!" She left, and Ron looked over at Rose. Rose was absently brushing her bangs over her scar.

"That's not going to help, Rose. Your hair isn't thick enough to block out the scar." Rose huffed in frustration, resigning herself to staring out the window. Hermione reappeared a few seconds later.

"I heard we're coming up on Hogwarts, you'll want to get changed into your uniforms before we arrive." She left just as suddenly as she appeared. Rose looked over at Ron.

"You change first. I'll wait outside." Ron got up, and Rose nodded, pulling the curtains down after closing the door. She changed quickly, throwing on her robes, startling Hedwig into her cage, where she clicked her beak, annoyed.

Rose waited outside the compartment while Ron changed, and absently stared out the window at the dimming world outside. Several people were milling around, some changed, some not, and Rose was wishing that Ron would hurry up. Some other students were staring at her and pointing unabashed. As soon as Ron pulled open the curtains, Rose nearly threw herself into the compartment.

"Geezus, some people just don't know what it means to be subtle." Rose growled. Ron peeked outside, noticing all the students trying to look into the compartment.

"Hey, you lot, shove off. Nothing to see here but a pair of first years." Ron said loudly, before closing the door. Rose angrily shut the curtains as students gathered around to stare at her. Ron grinned.

"Sorry, Rose, but you should probably get used to it. You're a celebrity to them, and they're not going to be satisfied by a simple glimpse." Rose moaned.

"Why can't they all just leave me alone? I don't want to be the center of attention." Rose felt her eyes watering, and Ron suddenly looked very uncomfortable.

"Sorry, Rose. I didn't mean it like that..." Rose sniffed.

"You're a right prat, you know that?" Rose mumbled. Ron looked shocked. Rose burst into laughter, which was odd, cause she wanted to both cry and laugh at the same time. Ron looked confused, but sat back, rolled his eyes and muttered something that sounded like 'crazy girls.' Rose chuckled, standing up.

"Come on, Hedwig. I'll let you out again as soon as we figure out what's going on, all right?" Hedwig cooed, and Rose rubbed her head affectionately.

The train stopped after slowing down for a considerably long time, and Rose held Hedwig's cage in both hands as they got off the train.

"Firs' years! Firs' years, over here!" Rose looked up, recognizing the voice.

"Hagrid!" Rose shouted, pulling a flustered Ron towards the giant of a man. Rose flung herself into Hagrid's arms, and he chuckled, patting her on the back.

"How was, you' ride 'ere, Rose? Not too much trouble, I 'ope?" Hagrid asked.

"Nah, it was fine. Hagrid, meet Ron." Hagrid shook Ron's hand, Ron looking slightly wary at the large man.

"All righ', then. Firs' years! Tha' all of you? All righ' follow me!" Rose took the front of the line, right behind Hagrid, with Ron right next to her. They headed down to a lake, where several boats were tethered. Rose and Ron slipped into one, joined by Hermione and another boy, whom Hermione introduced as Neville. Hagrid got a boat all to himself, and the boats suddenly began drifting out of the bay.

Rose was trailing her hand in the cool water until Ron gasped and poked her shoulder. Rose looked up, and was shocked to see Howarts Castle loom out of the darkness, lights emitting from the many windows, making it look like it held stars inside. The boats drifted towards it, and into a cave at the base of a cliff.

The boats stopped at a stone dock, where everyone got out and followed Hagrid up two flights of stone stairs. Hagrid opened a door, letting them through, and Rose found herself in a grand hallway, with the entrance to her right. In front of them stood Professor McGonagall, in front of two grand wooden doors. Rose fought the urge to run forwards and hug the woman, but resigned herself to a small wave, to which McGonagall nodded slightly, her eyes dancing.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. The Welcoming Feast is on the other side of these doors, but first you must all be sorted. Wait here, and I will lead you in once everyone is settled." McGonagall left, leaving the mass of first years standing there, confused.

"Oh, great. My bothers said we have to wrestle a troll to figure out what house we're in." Ron moaned.

"Don't be ridiculous, Ron. I'm sure they wouldn't have us do anything dangerous." Hermione said, but Rose noticed that she was reciting spell incantations under her breath.

"As long as I don't get put into Slytherin, I'll be fine." Ron said. Rose perked up.

"Hah. Same here. Malfoy said he was a sure-in for Slytherin." Ron smirked.

"That he is, slimy lot of pure-blood supremacists that they are." Ron replied. "Personally, I hope I get into Gryffindor. All my brothers have gone there." Rose found herself silently wishing that no matter what house she was put into, she'd get to stay with her first real friend.

McGonagall reappeared, nodded, and opened the doors into the Great Hall. Rose let a few people go first before following, not wishing to be the center of attention. As they passed between two of the tables, at which older students sat, several first years began whispering excitedly, motioning towards the ceiling.

"It's been charmed to look like the sky outside." Hermione explained. Rose, however, had her eyes locked on the front table.

Sitting there in the center, comfortable in a large chair, sat Professor Albus Dumbledore. Rose felt his eyes lock with hers, and Dumbledore smiled widely as Rose approached. Rose felt an aura of calm and quiet power and wisdom around the wizard, and Rose couldn't help but feel a bit of awe. Dimly, Rose was aware of someone talking, but she couldn't tear her gaze away from the Headmaster's.

Dumbledore broke off his gaze first, turning to talk with one of the professors who had began whispering in his ear. Rose shivered, and noticed that a girl she didn't know was sitting down on a stool in front of the Great Hall, and McGonagall was lowering a battered, old hat onto her head. As it made contact with her head, a tear opened up near the brim, and the hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

The table to Rose's left burst out in applause, and the girl shyly made her way over. Rose noticed another one of Ron's brothers, 'Percy,' Ron whispered, seeing her gaze. Rose nodded, turning back to the Sorting Hat, as it shouted "RAVENCLAW!"

Several more students were sorted, and Rose was slightly surprised when Hermione went to Gryffindor. Ron had told her that she would probably be going to Ravenclaw, if first impressions of her were correct.

Rose scowled as Malfoy pompously sat on the stool. The Sorting Hat hadn't even touched his head before it roared 'SLYTHERIN!', and the table to Rose's far right erupted in cheers. With a start, Rose realized her turn was fast approaching, and with each sorted, Rose's stomach felt like it dropped further.

"Potter, Rose." McGonagall called, and Rose winced as the Great Hall broke into excited whispers. As she climbed the steps to the stool, she heard benches scraping as people stood to try to get a better look. She kept her eyes closed as she turned and sat on the stool, before the Sorting Hat was dropped on her head.

The whispers of the Great Hall suddenly ceased, and Rose wondered if the hat was enchanted to block out noise.

'Well, well, well, Ms. Potter. I've been expecting you for quite some time. Quite a jumbled mess in here, if I do say so myself…Oh my, that's no good…' Rose heard the hat say to her in her head.

'What's no good?' Rose thought, panicking. What if she wasn't sorted, and she would have to go back to the Dursley's? The hat chuckled softly.

'No, there's no chance of that happening, Ms Potter. You're merely hard to sort. I can see loyalty, which would put you in Hufflepuff, but there's that thirst for knowledge that defines a Ravenclaw. Then again, there's some sneaky cunning in here, Slytherin would do you good…' Rose's heart plummeted.

'No, anywhere but Slytherin, not with Malfoy and his pet gorillas.' Rose winced. The hat chuckled deeply.

'Not Slytherin, eh? You would do well there, Ms. Potter. No? Well, then…Ah, I know just the place for you. The place that you would do your character some good. Better be "GRYFFINDOR!"' The hat shouted the last word, and Rose sighed with relief, and the Gryffindor table exploding with cheering.

"We got Potter, we got Potter!" Rose heard Fred and George yelling and dancing with each other, and Rose couldn't help but smile nervously, clambering down from the stool and going to sit at the Gryffindor table.

"Hello, Rose. I'm Percy Weasly, and I'm one of the prefects for Gryffindor. Please don't hesitate to come to me if you have any questions, all right?" Percy asked, and Rose nodded, collapsing on the bench next to Hermione.

"Hello again, Rose. Fancy meeting you here." Hermione said. Rose couldn't help but smirk.

"Ron thought you were a sure-in for Ravenclaw." Rose muttered, and Hermione looked thoughtful.

"The hat did consider Ravenclaw, but said I would do better in Gryffindor." Hermione shrugged. "What took you so long, anyways? You were sitting there for over five minutes." Rose blinked. It hadn't felt that long to her.

"The hat just had a hard time choosing where to put me. Said I had qualities from all the houses, although I have no idea why it chose Gryffindor. I'm not a brave person." Rose murmured, looking down at her plate. Rose heard the hat shout out Gryffindor again, and a second later Ron was sitting next to her.

"Well, fancy meeting you here, Rose!" Rose smirked, elbowing him playfully.

Dumbledore rose, holding up his hands, and the Great Hall fell silent.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have much to say, but now is not the time! For now I leave you with a few choice words: nitwit, blubber, oddment, tweak! Enjoy the feast!" Suddenly, food appeared on the table, so much that Rose stared at it in shock. Ron eagerly dug in, giving himself liberal portions of everything.

"Come on, Rose! Eat something, it's all you can eat!" Ron said through a mouthful of food when he noticed that Rose wasn't moving and her eyes looked slightly glazed over. Rose glanced at him.

"Are you sure? I mean…What if someone else doesn't have enough?" Rose murmured. Ron looked at her.

"Fred and George say that if a plate runs out, more will appear. Look down there." Ron pointed down the table, and Rose watched as Fred took the last chicken leg off of a platter. Seconds later, a whole new pile of chicken legs appeared in it's place.

"Well, I guess I could have some." Ron scoffed.

"Here, have some of these." Ron said, tossing a few chicken wings onto her plate. Rose frowned. Already, she had more on her plate than the Dursley's ever gave her in a single meal. Nervously, Rose took a bite, and her eyebrows rose.

One chicken wing, a few spoonful of mashed potatoes and some helpings of vegetables later, and Rose felt full. Ron was still scarping down food as though he had not eaten in days.

"You sure you've had enough?" Hermione asked, and Rose nodded. Suddenly, all of the dishes were replaced with desserts, and Rose was forced to have a treacle tart by Ron, which she instantly fell in love with.

Dumbledore rose a few minutes later, and all of the food disappeared. Rose looked up, sniggering at Ron who looked disappointed that there was nothing left.

"Now that our bellies are full and our appetites sated, I have a few announcements to make. First of all, the Forbidden Forest on the edge of the grounds is just that-Forbidden." His eyes stopped on the Gryffindor table, and Rose noticed Fred and George shaking with silent laughter.

"Second, Mr. Filch's list of banned items now includes fanged Frisbees, squeaky yo-yos, and several other items. Please take the time to inspect the list, which is posted outside Mr. Filch's office. And lastly," Dumbledore paused, his eyes roving over his audience.

"The third floor corridor on the right hand side is out-of-bounds. Anyone entering said corridor will find themselves suffering a very painful death." Several students chuckled, but Rose saw the look of deadly seriousness radiating from the man, and she couldn't help but wonder what was being kept there.

"Now, Prefects, please lead your first years up to the dormitories, and tuck in for a good nights rest, for tomorrow, we begin stuffing our brains with knowledge! Good night!" The dull roar of hundreds of people talking gradually returned, accompanied by the cacophony of benches scraping backwards as everyone stood to leave.

"Gryffindor first years, over here please!" Percy called. "First years over here." Rose stood, following Ron and Hermione over to the red-head. "Is that everyone? All right, follow me! Try not to fall behind, Hogwarts is a large place!" Percy called, leading them out of the Great Hall.

Rose followed close behind Percy, and found herself marveling at all of the moving paintings that decorated the walls. With all of them covering the walls, it looked as though the castle itself was alive, ever changing.

"Watch your step, the staircases like to change at a moment's notice." Percy continued. Rose looked up, watching as some staircases above them slowly rotated to lead to different areas.

Percy lead them up several staircases and through several halls before coming to a stop in front of a very large painting of a very large lady, dressed in elegant Victorian-style robes.

"Password?" The painting asked.

"Lemon Drops." Percy replied, and the portrait swung out, revealing a round hole in the wall, behind which lay the Gryffindor Common room. Rose heard Percy mumbling under his breath, reminding himself to change the password that Dumbledore had apparently set.

"All right, first years, this is the Gryffindor Common Room. Girl's dormitories are up the staircase to the left of the fireplace, and boy's are to the right. You'll see your year number posted on your door, and all your belongings should be inside. Once again, please don't hesitate to ask any questions." Percy turned and sat in front of the fire, and the first years parted into two groups, heading up to their respective dormitories.

Rose found her things quickly, and pulled them over to the bunk in the far corner of the room. Somehow, the dark corner felt more relaxing to Rose than one of the middle bunks. Rose began storing her clothes in the dresser in between her bed and the next bed over.

"Hello Rose. Mind if I take this bed?" Hermione asked. Rose glanced at her.

"Sure. I don't mind." Rose finished putting her clothes away, then looked at her bed. She blinked, unsure of what to do next.

"What time is it?" Someone asked on the other side of the room. Hermione uttered a quick spell, fast enough that Rose didn't catch it, and the time appeared, hovering over her wand in red numerals.

"It's eight o'five."

"Well, then I'm going downstairs. I bet some of the upper classmen are hanging around, and I want to meet some of them." The girl flounced out, followed quickly by the other two occupants. Rose rolled her eyes, and looked back into her trunk.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I want to refresh myself for tomorrow's classes." Rose looked at Hermione, bewildered.

"How can you refresh yourself for a class you've never taken?"

"I've read all the textbooks through a few times already. I just want to make sure I remember everything in the first few chapters, so if I'm asked something I don't look dumb." Hermione replied. Rose frowned. She hadn't thought of that.

"You think they would ask us questions about stuff we've never studied?" Rose asked, sitting on the bed.

"I don't know, but it couldn't hurt to be prepared." Hermione shrugged, before turning to her book. Rose quietly picked up her potions textbook; it was the one text she hadn't quite gotten the gist of completely.

"I'm going to go down to the common room. I'll see you later, Hermione." Rose said, and Hermione waved vaguely, obviously caught up in her book. Rose slipped out of the room, and headed down the stairs. The first thing she noticed was Percy running after the twins, who were laughing hysterically, and Rose determined from Percy's purple and yellow hair that they had somehow pranked him. Rose sat across from where Ron was watching in amusement.

"So, you ready for first day of classes tomorrow?" Rose asked, drawing Ron's attention away from the twin's antics.

"I think so. I briefly skimmed through the books, but I'm confident they won't have us do anything too hard the first day here." Rose nodded.

"I'm going to read through the first few potions in the book. I don't know why, but potions seems to elude me so far." Rose replied.

"Don't think about it too hard. You might find actually doing it works better." Ron responded, and looked like he was going to say more until Fred and George came up behind him and turned his hair electric blue.

Rose giggled softly, watching Ron jump up and take over Percy's position of running after the twins. It wasn't until Ron sat back down, exhausted but red-haired again, that Rose was interrupted.

"Hey Fred?"

"Yes, George?"

"Isn't this that famous girl we've heard mum go on and on about?"

"Why George, I think it is!" Fred and George flopped down on either side of Rose, startling her out of reading her potions textbook.

"Oi, leave her alone."

"Ooo, does ickle Ronnie have a crush on our newest celebrity?" George teased, and Ron's ears turned red.

"No, we're just friends, and I'd back off if I were you two." Ron smirked. Both twins looked perplexed, and turned to look at Rose.

"You don't have any idea what he's talking about, do you, Rose?" Rose glanced up at Fred.

"Actually, I'm not sure what he's going on about." Rose replied, shrugging.

"You throw a mean jelly-legs jinx is what I meant, Rose." Ron burst out laughing. "You should have seen Malfoy's face on the train when Rose hit him with it." Fred and George looked shocked, and Rose felt her face flush.

"Oh really? Little Rosie's standing up for herself, eh?"

"That interests me. Shall we ask her to show us, George?"

"Why not, Fred? Rose? Mind showing off a bit?" Rose's eyes widened.

"No, I'd rather not-"

"Nonsense! Come now, show us what you've got!" Fred and George grabbed Rose under the arms, and brought her over to a more open area. When they put her down, however, Ron noticed that Rose suddenly looked terrified.

"Hey, what'd you do to her?" Ron shouted, jumping over the back of the chair. Rose's legs gave out from beneath her, and she make little choking noises as Ron caught her before she hit the floor. Both Fred and George looked stunned.

"We didn't do anything." George replied, looking confused. Rose curled up, hugging her knees to herself.

"Rose? Rose, what's wrong?" Ron asked. Rose mumbled something unintelligible, and Ron was dimly aware that she was sobbing. Ron bent over her, trying to hear what she was saying.

"Don't let them hurt me…I don't want to get hurt…please, stop them…"

"Rose, nobody's going to hurt you." Ron replied. Rose sniffed loudly, then lifted her head and looked around, dazed.

"Wha-what the…"

"Rose, are you all right?" Rose looked perplexed, but nodded her head.

"What happened? Why am I over here?" Ron looked up at Fred and George, who shrugged.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Ron asked, concerned.

"Uhm…These two asking me to show them my jelly-legs jinx…" Rose's brow furrowed. All four of them looked confused. Ron helped Rose to her feet.

"You sure you're okay? You hands are shaking like crazy." Rose looked down to see her hands trembling, and she frowned.

"I'm fine. I probably just need some sleep. Good night Ron, Fred, George. I'll see you at breakfast." Rose retreated up the staircase before any of the Weasley brothers could stop her. All of them frowned.

"Ron, what did you mean when you said no one was going to hurt her?" George asked.

"She was mumbling something like 'Don't let them hurt me' over and over. Do you think we should tell someone about this?" Ron asked, looking frightened. Both Fred and George looked troubled, but Fred shook it off.

"Not yet. We'll tell someone if it happens again, all right?" Ron nodded, then stared at the stairway to the girl's dorms.

"I hope she's okay…"

Rose walked stiffly into the room, and kneeled down next to her trunk before Hermione noticed her.

"Hello Rose. Getting ready for- Rose? Your hands are shaking." Rose cursed under her breath, fumbling with the lock.

"Oh, screw it. _Alohamora!_" Rose said, drawing out her wand and pointing it at the lock. The padlock fell open, and Rose quickly opened the trunk.

"The unlocking spell? That's near the back of our spellbook. How do you know that one?"

"I saw McGonagall use it on-never mind. I just saw her use it." Rose cursed herself again for almost revealing her home life to the other girl. Hermione's eyes narrowed.

"All right. Good night, then." Rose nodded, jumping into the bed and drawing the curtains around it, quickly changing into her pajamas. She frowned at the several scars that coated her pale, creamy skin, before covering them with her clothes. She absentmindedly threw her uniform into the trunk, and closed the curtains once more.

Rose knew immediately that she wouldn't get much sleep that night. The bed was too lavish and soft for her. She was used to less comfortable accommodations, and the new, unfamiliar surroundings had her constantly checking to make sure that no one was coming after her. At least in the cupboard, she could tell if someone was coming because of the squeaky steps above her.

Eventually, Rose fell into a fitful sleep, nightmares of Vernon coming to hurt her plaguing her rest.

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**A/N: **Please review, as always! It's just a short click away! Really!


	5. First Day of Classes

**A/N: **Read and Review!

**Disclaimer:** Should I say it? JK Rowling thought of HP, not me!

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Hermione awoke the next morning, excited and refreshed for the first day of classes. She quickly bounded out of bed, claiming the bathroom first, showering and changing and brushing her hair in a matter of minutes. Checking the time, she decided to wake the other girls to make sure that they weren't late for breakfast.

"Lavender! Wake up! You're going to be late!" The sleepy girl groaned, but got out of bed, going to wake her other companions. Hermione moved over to Rose's bed.

"Rose, wake-" Hermione frowned after she pulled the bed curtains open Rose's bed was a mess, but the covers, pillow, and Rose were missing.

"Rose? Rose, where are you?" Hermione called, looking around. She spotted something checkered on the ground, and bent down to look at it. She jumped in surprise, finding Rose curled up under the bed with her comforter and pillow, sleeping soundly.

"What the…Rose! Wake up!" Rose awoke with a start, and looked around quickly, her eyes wide with terror. As she spotted Hermione, however, the terror disappeared, and Rose sighed with relief.

"Rose, what are you doing under your bed?" Hermione asked. Rose blushed, but didn't respond as she crawled out the other side, standing up and straightening her nightclothes before putting on her glasses.

"I guess I had a bad dream." Rose replied simply, before picking up a clean uniform and disappearing back into her bed to change. Hermione frowned, confused. There was something about the situation that didn't feel quite right, and she wasn't quite willing to let it go at that. However, as Rose appeared, dressed in her uniform, she looked fine, so Hermione dismissed it as first-night jitters.

"I'll meet you downstairs, Rose." Rose nodded, heading to the bathroom to brush her hair. Hermione headed downstairs, finding several other students milling around the common room. She spotted a shock of red hair, and decided to head over.

"Hello, Percy." Hermione said, sitting down. Percy nodded.

"Hermione Granger, right?" Hermione nodded.

"Is it usual for someone to have nightmares on their first night here?" Hermione asked.

"Oh yes. It's the same as anywhere, really, though. Leaving a familiar place will often put a person under stress. Are you feeling all right?" Percy asked.

"Oh no, it's not me. One of my dorm-mates just said she had a bad dream." Hermione replied. Percy nodded, not looking entirely convinced.

"Just tell your dorm-mate that the nightmares should go away in a few days. They always do." Hermione nodded.

"Thanks, Percy." Hermione checked the time.

"Looks like breakfast is about to start. Shall we?" Percy asked, standing up.

"Sure. I do have a few questions about classes though…"

Rose smiled to herself slightly, putting down the brush. Contrary to how it looked, her hair was very picky and didn't like to be straight and nice. It tended to try to layer itself and go wild, tangling itself in knots while she slept. Rose was used to it though, and although her hair was unruly, it was soft and she loved it.

Rose made her way downstairs, finding the common room mostly empty, and several students were heading out, presumably to breakfast. Rose followed them, staying a bit behind, not wanting to seem as though she was depending on them for directions, even though she was.

Coming to the moving staircases, Rose paused in the middle of the one they took, peering up at the seemingly infinite number of levels and staircases there were. She shook herself out of it, quickly heading down the steps to follow the group that had just gotten off.

Suddenly, the staircase shuddered and began to move. Rose hesitated, and the staircase swung around to a new doorway. She frowned, until she decided to head back up the staircase and wait for another group to lead her to the Great Hall.

Unfortunately, the staircase had other plans, and it moved again, this time the upper side changing doors. Rose's eyes widened; now she couldn't get back to the others. She watched, slightly panicked, as another group of students came out of the doorway from Gryffindor tower and headed towards a different staircase.

Rose headed down the last few steps, trying to memorize the position of the other door and figuring out which way she would have to go to find the same hallway. She set off down the hallway at a brisk pace, hoping she wouldn't get lost.

Soon, Rose felt just that. She hadn't seen any other students for some time, and the hallways seemed to be getting her only more and more lost. Many of the hallways looked the same, and Rose began wondering if she was walking in circles, or if the halls were enchanted to keep her lost.

Just as Rose was feeling very panicked, she heard the quite rumble of the Great Hall somewhere nearby. Rose quickly discerned where it was coming from, and soon found herself in the Entrance Hall. She quickly headed in, hoping that she wasn't too late.

"Hey, Rose, where've you been?" Ron asked, munching on a breakfast roll.

"I got lost." Rose said simply, reaching for something to eat, when everything disappeared. Rose blinked, then hunched over slightly, trying to hold back a few tears that were threatening to escape her. Ron noticed, and quickly patted her back, to which Rose flinched at first.

"Here, Rose. I've had enough." He said, pushing over a half-full plate of food. Rose glanced at him.

"Are you sure?" She whispered, a tremble in her voice.

"Positive. You need something to eat on the first day, or you'll get sick. Or so my brother's say." Ron grimaced.

"Thanks Ron." She murmured before quickly polishing off Ron's plate as most of the students in the Great Hall were leaving.

"There you are, Rose. Here's your schedule for the term." Percy said quickly, before rushing off.

"I wonder what's got him so flustered. He's usually pretty calm. Let's see…Transfiguration first. I hear McGonagall's pretty strict." Rose raised an eyebrow.

"Really? When I saw her she was pretty nice." Rose mused.

"Come on, let's go get our stuff. We'll need to hurry a bit." Ron continued. Rose nodded, and they both walked quickly out of the Great Hall.

They arrived at Transfiguration just as the bell rung, and quickly took seats at the first empty desks. Other people were whispering nervously, and Rose discerned that they were wondering where the teacher was. Rose chuckled to herself; McGonagall was sitting on the desk, looking at all of them, just in her animangus form.

Several students cried out in shock when the cat leapt off the desk and turned into McGonagall in midair.

"Welcome to Transfiguration." She said briskly, and launched into an explanation of the basics. Rose quickly took notes, seeing Hermione was doing the same a few seats away. Rose's weren't quite as long and embellished as Hermione's, but they were much better than Ron's, who had barely copied anything.

"Alright, I'm not expecting anything today, but I would like all of you to try to turn thee needles into matchsticks. Here are your needles," She waved her wand, and a needle appeared on each desk, "and the incantation is on the board."

Ron pulled out his wand, and tried the incantation out before casting the spell at his needle. He frowned, nothing had happened. He glanced over at Rose, and noticed she was sitting rather stiffly, staring at her needle.

"Rose?" He muttered under his breath, glancing up to McGonagall to see if she had noticed. Rose seemed frozen, she was even in the middle of writing down the incantation.

"Rose, you all right?" He whispered. Ron glanced between her and the needle, where her gaze was obviously focused. Curiously, Ron put his hand over the needle, and raised an eyebrow as Rose seemed to come out of her trance.

"Rose, what's wrong?" He asked. She had immediately dropped her quill and began shivering slightly, arms crossed over her as though she was cold. Ron moved his hand away from the needle, but Rose whimpered as though in pain, and Ron quickly covered it again.

"Rose, are you okay?" Slowly, Rose nodded, her shivering going away.

"No, I'm…I'm fine…" Rose shook her head, then raised her wand. Ron moved his had away from the needle, and although Rose immediately tensed, she cast the incantation, and the needle suddenly turned into several matches, strewn haphazardly around her half of the desk. Rose's brow furrowed.

"Wasn't it supposed to be one match?" She asked, confused. McGonagall, who had been slowly moving through the class, stopped beside her desk.

"Ms. Potter, did you take other people's needles to transfigure them for them?" She asked, an eyebrow raised. Rose glanced up at her.

"No, Professor. She did the incantation and everything right, as far as I could tell, and her needle turned into all of these." Ron gestured. McGonagall looked surprised.

"Do it again." She said, transfiguring one back into a needle. Rose tensed up again, but slowly did the spell, and once again several new matches appeared on her desk in random places, some propped up on the other matches.

"What am I doing wrong?" Rose asked quietly. McGonagall shook her head.

"I'm not sure, Ms. Potter. You're doing the spell right, but obviously something isn't right. I'll talk with the Headmaster about this, I have no knowledge of something like this happening. Oh, and five points to Gryffindor for a perfect match…or more." McGonagall walked away, and Rose frowned at her matches.

"Well, that's kind of cool. Imagine the possibilities; you could turn some sweets into even more sweets!" Rose rolled her eyes.

"Is food all you think about?" Rose asked.

"No. I think about Quidditch too." Ron smirked. Rose blinked.

"What's Quidditch?" Ron laughed.

"What's Quidditch, that's a good one. Next you're going to tell me you don't know what ghouls are." Ron snickered, but quickly his look turned to shock, seeing Rose's hurt expression.

"Well, sorry if I didn't grow up in a wizarding family like you. And for your information, I don't know what a ghoul is either." Rose snapped, and quickly made her way out of the class as the bell rung. Ron blinked, sighed in resignation, and picked up his things before following the rest of the Gryffindors towards Charms.

Ron noticed Rose sitting in a far corner of the classroom, and when he tried to sit next to her, she moved away. Ron set his head down on his desk, berating himself for being so stupid.

"Welcome to Charms! I'll take roll call now!" Professor Flitwick squeaked. Ron winced when he called Rose, and everyone turned to look at her. Ron noticed her cheeks were flushed, and a nervous frown was etched on her face.

Professor Flitwick soon had them all working on a levitation charm, and no matter how hard Ron tried, he couldn't get the feather to float off the desk.

"You're doing it wrong, Ron." Ron jumped, not having heard anyone approach. He looked up, and was surprised to see Rose standing there.

"Look, Rose, I'm sorry-" Rose held a hand up.

"No, it's all right. After all, I would have laughed if you had said you don't know what a telephone was."

"Um….Rose? What is a telephone?" Rose smirked.

"Not now, you need to get your feather in the air."

"What about you?" Ron asked. Rose rolled her eyes, and pointed up. Ron glanced up, and his eyes widened, seeing a feather hovering inches away from the ceiling.

"I'm not sure how to get it down, and for some reason Flitwick can't either. We think it's the same problem as in Transfiguration, and he's going to talk with Dumbledore too." Rose sighed, sitting heavily in the chair next to Ron.

"You all right?" Rose shook her head.

"Like this, I stand out even more that just being the bloody 'girl-who-lived' and all that. I just want to be normal." Ron's brows furrowed.

"But being normal isn't any fun. No one notices you, and you're all alone, while everyone else gets all the praise." Rose glanced at him.

"Maybe, but all the stares I'm getting are just plain creepy." She shivered, before pulling out her wand.

"Here, follow my movements. Swish-and-flick." Ron copied her, and she corrected him on several points before they tried the incantation, with Rose explaining, somewhat exasperated, "It's win-GAR-dium levi-OH-sa. Long gar, long oh." Ron tried it, and once he did, they turned to the feather.

Ron looked in surprise as it floated up off the desk when he cast the spell.

"Wow, Rose. You should be the teacher." He chuckled.

"Nah. Too many whiny kids." They both burst out into laughter, only quieted when Flitwick came over to calm them down.

During lunch, they both ate quietly, Ron because his mouth was too full, and Rose because she was just like that. That was, until Ron looked at their schedule and moaned.

"What? Stomachache from eating too fast?" Rose asked. Ron rolled his eyes.

"No, we've got potions next. I've heard Snape is a real bastard towards anyone who isn't in Slytherin." Ron replied unhappily. Rose looked up at the head table.

"Which one is he?" Rose asked, and Ron looked over as well.

"He's the black-haired one next to McGonagall." Ron replied, and Rose looked. Sure enough, a pale man with greasy black hair and a hooked nose sat next to McGonagall, his eyes roaming the Great Hall slowly. Rose thought he looked like a bird of prey, searching for his next meal, even though he was already eating one.

Rose shivered as his eyes landed on her, searching her. She was his lip curling in a snarl, and Rose quickly wrenched her gaze from him, staring back at her plate.

"I don't like him." Ron put a hand on her shoulder, and she flinched, although Ron didn't notice.

"No one does, Rose, except maybe a few Slytherins. Come on, let's get our stuff; we really don't want to make him mad by being late." Rose nodded, and followed him out of the Great Hall. She shivered again, and knew that Snape was watching her go.

The temperature plummeted as they headed down to the dungeons, and Rose hugged herself, rubbing her arms to try to warm up. Their breaths came out foggy, and Rose began to wonder if it would be even worse in the winter. The door was locked, and they waited outside the room as the rest of their class joined them.

"Well, well. If it isn't Potty and Weasel." Rose and Ron turned to see Draco standing nearby, Crabbe and Goyle flanking him.

"Great. Potions with Slytherins. Snape's going to be horrible." Ron muttered, turning his back to Draco.

"Hey! Don't ignore me when I'm talking to you, Weasel!" Draco fumed.

"Sorry, Malfoy, but I don't see any rodents around here except for you." Rose replied, stepping out next to Ron. Crabbe and Goyle cracked their knuckles threateningly, and Rose flinched slightly, but stood her ground.

"What are you all waiting around for? Get inside, now!" Snape appeared, snapping harshly.

"You locked the door, Professor." Draco replied, smiling at him. Snape paused, and took out a set of keys. Everyone hurried inside the dark classroom, unwilling to be the subject of Snape's attention.

"All right, listen up. Roll call." He began listing off names, pausing as each person raised their hand in turn. He gave a little smirk as Draco raised his hand.

"Potter, Rose…Well, well, well…" Snape looked at Rose, and she fidgeted nervously. "It looks like our class has a new…celebrity." He snarled. Rose frowned, but didn't reply.

"Tell me, Potter, where would you find a beazor?" Rose raised an eyebrow. He hadn't questioned any of the other students. She noticed Hermione raise her hand out of the corner of her eye.

"Uhm…beazors are found in the stomachs of goats, Professor…" She recalled from her textbook. Snape frowned.

"Potter, what is the difference between wolfsbane monkshood?" Snape tried again. Rose's brow furrowed.

"Uhm, Professor? There…isn't a difference…they're the same thing." Rose stammered. Snape's eyes flared with fury, and Rose winced.

"What potion does one use boomslang skin, powdered root of ardent, mermaid scales and crushed hornblat beetles?" Snape asked softly, but Rose could hear the fury behind it. She racked her memory, hoping to find an answer.

"Um…that would be…I think it's the cure for the poisonous bite of a…deyoxy? I think that's how it's said-" She was interrupted as Snape slammed his hand on her table, and Rose fell backwards in fright.

"So, you thought you would show off in class by reading ahead, did you? Always trying to stick out, just like your father." He spat. Rose shakily got to her feet.

"But, professor, I was just answering-" Snape interrupted her again.

"Oh, so you're blaming me now? Thirty points from Gryffindor." Ron jumped up.

"You can't do that! Rose was just doing what we're supposed to do and answer your questions!" Snape glared at Ron.

"Thirty more points from Gryffindor, and I would suggest you sit down, Mr. Weasley, before I give you a detention." Snape replied. Ron opened his mouth, but thought better of it and sat, crossing his arms and glaring at Snape. He turned his attention to Rose again.

"Since you seem to be so knowledgeable of potions, Ms. Potter, please list the ingredients in the Draught of Living Death." Snape snarled. Rose fidgeted, glancing side to side, trying to get a hint.

"Sir…D-draught of L-living Death isn't c-c-covered in the f-first year textb-book." Rose stuttered.

"I know that, Ms. Potter. I was checking to see if you had decided to be such a bighead as to buy the textbooks for the next seven years and read them all, since you are such a know-it-all." Rose whimpered, slowly lowering herself into her seat, lowering her gaze to stare at her desk. Finally, Snape seemed satisfied and continued with role call.

Rose could hardly pay attention to what she was doing for the rest of the class; her mind was stuck on what Snape as said and done. She had been optimistic to the point where she thought that leaving the Dursleys would mean the end of her problems, and that she could finally be praised as a good person. She felt her hopes for that optimistic life crashing and burning in her mind. She struggled to hold back her tears the entire class, and Ron looked at her sympathetically several times, although he didn't want to speak for fear of angering Snape again.

As soon as the bell for the end of class rung, Rose tore out of the dungeons as quickly as she could. Ron threw a scowl at Snape, who looked very smug, and hurried to follow the petite black-haired girl. He found her several hallways later, sitting on the floor and trembling, her things spread out in front of her. Ron came up behind her, but drew back when she flinched away from him.

"Rose, it's me. Did you trip?" Ron asked softly. Rose hung her head, sobbing quietly and nodded. Ron knelt beside her, reaching out to pick up her things.

"Rose, don't listen to that greasy, slime ball git of a Professor. In the little time that I've known you, I know for a fact that everything he said about you is just a pack of bloody lies." Ron continued, picking up her recent notes, noticing that they were rather sparse and written with shaky letters.

"B-b-but Ron, w-what if h-he's r-right and I'm j-just a sh-sh-show off? I d-don't want t-to l-look like a b-b-bighead if he's g-going to b-be like that…" Rose choked out. Ron sighed, piling Rose's stuff into her split book bag.

"Rose, I don't think he's going to change, whether you know the answers or not. If you don't he'll probably berate you for that too. Just do what you think is right, and shove off Snape if he doesn't like it. Now come on, we've got the rest of the day off, and it's nice outside. We could go sit by the lake, if you want." Rose hiccupped, but nodded, and Ron helped her to her feet, and she quickly took off her glasses and wiped off her face.

"How do I look?" Rose asked. "And no lying." Ron paused.

"All right, you look like you're upset. Which you are." Ron pointed out. Rose rolled her eyes. "Now come on. Let's not waste any more time and get out of here. That bat might be prowling the dungeons." Rose let out a short 'hah,' imagining Snape prowling the dungeons like Count Dracula. It was a fitting image. Now if only he had pointed teeth…

Later that night, after dinner, Rose played Ron in chess a few more times, each of which she lost spectacularly. Rose then proceeded to show him a muggle card game after asking around for a deck, at which Rose won without much difficulty. Rose tried to get Hermione involved, but she was too busy re-reading all of her notes to join.

"If you want a know-it-all, it's that girl." Ron whispered.

"That's not very nice." Rose glared. "She just likes to make sure she knows the work so no one can call her ignorant, since she's muggle born." Ron's eyebrows raised.

"I guess you feel somewhat the same?" Ron asked. Rose bit her lip, but nodded.

"All right. Just she seems to be taking it to the next level." Rose looked over to Hermione, whose noted took up the entire table in front of her.

"I'll give you that." Rose replied, before looking back down to the cards. "Ah, I win!"

**+0+0+0+0+**

**September 12th**

**9:32 PM**

**Hogwarts**

**+0+0+0+0+**

Minerva McGonagall made her way quickly up to the Headmaster's office. Finally, the first-days of school hype were over, and Dumbledore had free time to speak with his professors again.

Along the way, Flitwick met McGonagall, his stride quickening to keep up with hers. Both walked in silence, having already figured out what each was going to bring up to the Headmaster.

"Sugar Quills." McGonagall spoke to the stone gargoyle, and once it had slid aside, rose the rotating staircase up to the Headmaster's door.

"Come in, Minerva, Filius." McGonagall opened the door, and both professors walked in, taking in the presence of both Dumbledore and Severus Snape already in the room.

"Good evening. Lemon drops?" Dumbledore asked, but both politely declined.

"Albus, you must know that-" The headmaster stopped her.

"Severus, I believe that will be all." The potions master stood, bowing slightly before leaving, the door shutting softly behind them.

"Yes, I have heard of Ms. Potter's extraordinary feats of magic. And I believe I do know what is causing it." Dumbledore stood, striding over to one of his many book cases and pulling out a slightly weathered old tome and flipping through it.

"I've met a few people who have had this problem, and will take some time to fix. The problem is that young Ms. Potter can't control her magic." McGonagall raised an eyebrow.

"What makes her case any different than any other first year? Muggle born first years don't have this problem, so why does she?" Flitwick squeaked.

"I suppose it is because she has not done a normal amount of accidental magic. Accidental magic, as you both know, occurs when a person is under phsyical, emotional or mental turmoil and confusion, and cannot find any other way to abate the problem, other than unconsciously releasing an amount of stored up magic. After a few releases, the body automatically adjusts itself to keep too much magic from flowing out, but not so much that it makes it impossible to do magic."

"And so you believe she hasn't gotten there yet?" McGonagall asked.

"It happens. It's either that, or she has an acute version of magical myopilia, which cannot be, or she would be much taller, a few shades greener, and be covered in purple and pink spots that would randomly shift positions." Dumbledore replied, eyes twinkling.

"So how do we fix this?" Flitwick asked.

"Unfortunately, magic with the use of a wand does not allow the body to adjust properly. The only remedy known is to have her use accidental magic until her 'control valve,' so to speak, tightens itself to a reasonable level. It will not be dangerous for her, however, to continue lessons, although the results may be somewhat interesting at times."

"And you propose to make her use her accidental magic how?" Dumbledore's brow furrowed.

"Therein lies the problem with this case. She must be provoked in order for this to work. I plan to work with her myself, as this is a very delicate procedure, and, as you know, accidental magic can easily get out of hand very quickly. I trust both of you, however it would be safer for us and for Rose if it was triggered while I am around to counter it if necessary." Both McGonagall and Flitwick agreed.

"Minerva, please inform Ms. Potter that I would like to speak with her tomorrow after dinner, the password tomorrow with be chocolate frogs." McGonagall nodded, and both of them turned to leave. Halfway there, however, McGonagall stopped, and let Flitwick leave before turning back to the Headmaster.

"Is there something more, Minerva?" Dumbledore asked, eyes sparkling.

"Yes. I have a suspicion, and it still concerns Ms. Potter." Dumbledore gestured to a seat, which McGonagall took.

"Go on."

"While I was with Ms. Potter to make sure her letter was delivered, I noticed several...disturbing and frightening things, Albus." Dumbledore leaned forwards, his eyes shining was now much more subdued. "Ms. Potter flinched whenever I touched her, looked terrified at the mere mention of her family, and was more than happy to hear that she was going to live at school, away from them. She was ecstatic at the slightest hint of friendliness, she visibly shrank away from areas that were crowded, and she broke down crying because she thought she was going back to the Dursleys until term started." McGonagall took a long breath, letting Albus digest all of it.

"What are you insinuating, Minerva?" He asked softly.

"I suspect that the Dursleys are abusing her. Merlins beard, Albus, when I first arrived, she was locked in a cupboard, and they insisted that she wouldn't be coming here and be caught up in our 'un-naturalness' as they put it. I had to put a glamour charm over two very distinct bruises on her face, and both her hands were recovering from being burned on a muggle stove." Dumbledore looked furious, and he stood, pacing the room behind his desk.

"The blood wards should have prevented any kind of harm coming to her." He gesticulated. He turned to one of the many silver objects on his shelf, prodding a few of them with his wand.

"Nevertheless, Albus, something must be done. She cannot be allowed to go back there." Dumbledore didn't respond for a few seconds, then sighed, straightening up and rubbing his forehead.

"I shall talk with Ms. Potter about this situation during our time together. Right now, I can't think of anything we can do until we ascertain the truth of these claims." Albus sat, looking weary. McGonagall nodded curtly.

"Very well. I shall deliver your message to Ms. Potter in the morning." McGonagall left, leaving a very confused Headmaster at his desk, wondering what he could have done wrong.

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**A/N:** PLEASE review! I haven't seen any reviews yet!


	6. The Headmaster's Office

1**A/N: **Yaaay! I finally got around to another chapter! Sorry for the wait, my life has been getting sort of hectic!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter. Anyone who wants to sue me for using JK Rowling's sandbox can bugger off.

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**September 13th**

**8:46 AM**

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It was Ron who noticed the slight change in their schedule for the day first, and he was immediately ecstatic.

"Guess what? We have our first flying class today!" Rose looked up at him from her food.

"Flying? You mean on brooms?" Hermione asked from the other side of the table, clearly nervous.

"Oh no, I've never done well on a broomstick." Neville moaned from a little farther down. A sudden rush of flapping noises filled the Great Hall, and Rose looked up, seeing hundreds of owls rushing in with letters and packages. She looked over ad noticed a large eagle owl giving a package to Draco, who immediately opened it and proclaimed it was filled with sweets.

"Woah! Grandma sent me a Rememberall!" Neville looked at the little orb in awe.

"It says that when it turns red, you've forgotten something." Hermione stated from the instructions, and looked up to see Neville frowning at the rememberall, which was now shining deep red. Rose turned back to her plate. She hadn't been expecting any packages from her family, and if they had sent any, Rose would have been sure to remove it from sight at once. Still, the sight of people receiving things from loved ones hurt her a little inside, and she suddenly didn't feel hungry anymore.

"Ms. Potter?" Rose started, turning to see McGonagall standing behind her.

"Yes, Professor?"

"The Headmaster would like to speak with you after dinner tonight, regarding what has been going on in both mine and Professor Flitwick's classes. The entrance to his office is the gargoyle statue in the left hand corridor of the fourth floor, and the password will be chocolate frog." McGonagall told her, leaning down to whisper the last part so others wouldn't hear. Rose paled slightly at the thought of meeting the Headmaster, remembering the impromptu staring contest they had back at the sorting.

"Well, at least you'll get all that sorted out." Ron said through a mouthful of food. Rose looked at him disapprovingly.

Rose and Ron followed the other Gryffindors out to the front lawn, where the flying lessons were scheduled to take place. Both scowled when they noticed that half of the class was wearing green and silver.

"I don't need flying lessons, I could be on the Quidditch team if first years were allowed." Draco was bragging as Rose and Ron approached. Rose rolled her eyes, but busied herself with rubbing her arms and hands together to keep warm in the chilly morning air.

"Great. Flying with Slytherins. What fun." Ron muttered sarcastically. Before Rose could respond, Madam Hooch appeared.

"All right, everyone, I want no nonsense during this class. Flying can be safe and fun, but only if you follow directions. Now everyone step up to a broom." Madam Hooch took a disillusionment charm off of the brooms laying on the ground, and both Ron and Rose stepped next to adjacent brooms to Neville and Hermione, both who looked pale.

In the few exercises the class went through, Rose was pleasantly surprised to find that her first instincts on how to handle the broom were correct. Ron was, obviously, quite good at flying already, but both Hermione and Neville, on the two brooms facing them, were having difficulty. The duo were both happy to see that Madam Hooch had already corrected Draco on several aspects of his own handling.

Then the whole class went south as Neville lost control of his broom, shooting off like a rocket. Before anyone could go after him to correct him, he slammed into one of the walls, breaking his wrist in the process. Madam Hooch quickly disappeared with him, taking him to the Hospital Wing and threatening them with suspension if any of them left the ground.

Rose was slightly unhappy with the ultimatum, still wanting to fly, but sat down with some of the other Gryffindors to follow her directions. As she listened to some of their reactions, Hermione's being most sympathetic, Ron tapped her shoulder. Rose looked at where he was pointing, finding Draco holding Neville's Rememberall.

Rose immediately remembered a time when Dudley had taken a teddy bear that she had salvaged, ripping the only item she ever found comfort in to pieces in front of her. Anger quickly flooded her, and she leapt to her feet, striding over to where Draco stood, looking very smug.

"Give that back, Malfoy." Rose snarled. Draco turned, still smirking, tossing the Rememberall up and down like a muggle tennis ball.

"Make me, Potty!" Draco sneered, then leapt on the broom he still held in his hand and took off. Rose rolled her eyes before snatching a broom out of a Slytherin's hand.

"Rose, wait! Madam Hooch said not to leave the ground-" But Rose ignored Hermione's protests, shooting off into the air.

Immediately, an acute sense of freedom and exhilaration overwhelmed her, and she whooped with glee, pushing the broom through a few aerobatic stunts while chasing Malfoy. She was more than happy to notice his stunned expression at her flying.

"Now, are you ready to give it back?" Rose asked gleefully, hovering in front of Malfoy, her cheeks flushed. Malfoy scowled.

"Fine, Potty. But only if you catch it!" Malfoy turned, tossing it hard. Rose froze for only a second, imagining it shattering to pieces, and how distraught Neville would be if he didn't get it back. Without hesitation, she pushed her broom into a dive, quickly trying to figure out where the best spot to intersect the glass orb's path would be.

She missed it once, overshooting the item, and she cursed, pushing the broom down further into the dive, heading straight down at the ground. She began to catch up with the rememberall, hanging slightly under the broom as she had to correct for overshooting it in the first place. She turned, getting back on top of it without losing sight of the transparent ball, before snatching it out of midair and pulling up on the broom, so hard she thought it would snap. She shut her eyes, thinking that the next thing she would find herself doing would be lying at the hospital wing.

She was surprised to find herself still in the air a few seconds later, her feet having skimmed the grass for a second. She corrected the broom into a straight flight, turning back towards the class. She changed her mind a few seconds later, stopping and clambering off the broom before Madam Hooch reappeared, and walked back the rest of the way towards the class.

"Merlin's beard, Rose! We all thought you were going to smash into the ground there!" Ron swept her into a one-armed hug. Rose smiled nervously.

"Did I do all right? Any teachers see me?" Rose asked, glancing around.

"I don't think so-" He was interrupted as McGonagall appeared through the throng of jubilant Gryffindors, an unreadable expression on her face.

"Ms. Potter! Come with me, this instant." She snapped, and Rose winced at the harsh tone to her voice. Suddenly struck silent, she followed her head of house back towards the castle, the broom over her shoulder and Malfoy's laughs ringing in her ears.

She felt her eyes watering, and she made no move to brush the tears away. Already, Rose had done something wrong, and she couldn't help wondering if she was about to be sent back to the Dursleys. She didn't even look at McGonagall, ashamed that she had disappointed the first person who had given her a chance. She barely registered McGonagall asking for Wood from Flitwick, her mind fixated on how badly the Dursleys might treat her now that she knew about her true self.

"Wood, this is Rose Potter. Oliver, I have found you a seeker!" Rose paused, before looking up, bewildered. McGonagall's tone had changed from strict and harsh to excited. She turned her attention to the boy standing in front of her.

"A first year? You sure, Professor?" Oliver looked skeptical.

"She caught a glass orb, a rememberall, I believe, from a perfectly executed dive mere feet from the ground and still managed to escape injury. If that isn't an indication of seeker potential, I don't know what is." Oliver suddenly looked interested.

"Yes...Let's see now. You're light, small…how flexible are you?" He asked, circling her. Rose bent over and touched the floor easily with her legs straight. Oliver nodded.

"All right. I'll try you out. When do you have free?" Oliver asked. Rose pulled out her schedule, glancing over it.

"I have a few hours tomorrow night. I would have said tonight, but I have…other plans." She caught McGonagall looking at her, and thought mid-sentence that she should keep meeting with the Headmaster a secret. Oliver nodded.

"All right. Meet me in the Entrance Hall after dinner, and we'll give you a try-out." Rose nodded.

"I'm sure she'll do fine, Oliver. Her father was a superb flyer from day one, and I'm not surprised that she seems to be the same." McGonagall beamed. Rose glanced up at her. Oliver nodded, and went back into Charms.

"Do us proud, Ms. Potter. I wouldn't like letting the Slytherins win the Quidditch cup from us again." She smiled. "Class should be over, I'll talk to Madam Hooch to explain where you have been." Rose thanked her, and headed back up to Gryffindor tower.

"You're going to be on the Gryffindor Quidditch team?! Bloody hell, you must be the youngest seeker in, like, forever!" Ron exclaimed when Rose told him about the news.

"Language, Ron. And I don't think you should have been rewarded for breaking the rules." Hermione huffed.

"Hermione, it's a great honor to be on a Quidditch team! And McGonagall gave her the position, you can't think that a teacher was wrong, do you?" He needled. Hermione frowned, returning to her work.

"I'm only getting tried out, Ron. I'm not officially on the team yet." Rose countered, flushing.

"Yeah, but if you fly as brilliantly as you did earlier, there's no way they can refuse!"

"I still don't even know how Quidditch is played!" Rose cried, exasperated. Ron froze, a sly smile spreading over her face.

"Well, I'll teach you then." Ron launched into an explanation of the entire game, answering Rose's questions whenever they came up. It was about an hour later when Rose finally slumped back on the sofa, her mind whirling with little colored balls with people chasing them on broomsticks. Grateful as she was, Rose felt a headache coming on anyways, and headed down to the hospital wing with Ron to get a headache potion before it got worse.

Later that night, Rose nervously approached the gargoyle that was the entrance to the Headmaster's office. While she was curious as to what the Headmaster was like, she couldn't help but have a little fear towards the man whose power had captivated her the first night she came to the castle. She headed up the staircase after giving the password McGonagall had told her to the statue.

"You may enter, Ms. Potter." A gentle voice echoed from inside the door before she knocked. Cautiously, she opened the door and glanced around.

The office was filled to the brim with bookcases and artifacts, as well as an entire wall of portraits of people she didn't recognize. A shelf of little silver objects lined a wall to the left, in front of which stood a perch for a bird. To her right sat the sorting hat on another shelf, next to a globe and a few maps. A desk stood in the middle of the room, at which Professor Dumbledore sat, smiling gently.

"Come, come, Ms. Potter. Lemon drop?" Rose shook her head, too nervous to open her mouth. Dumbledore gestured at a chair, and Rose too the seat.

"So, Ms. Potter, how are you liking your classes so far?" He asked. Rose swallowed, trying to get her mouth working.

"I-I like it v-very much here, s-sir." Rose replied shakily. Dumbledore' gentle smile widened a little bit.

"There's no need for you to be afraid here, Ms. Potter." Dumbledore stood, and walked over to the shelf of whirring silver objects. "Professors McGonagall and Flitwick have told me of your marvelous feats in their classes. Would you mind explaining how you feel when you cast these spells?" Dumbledore asked. Rose blinked.

"Well, um…It feels…weird…like there's a lot of blood rushing to my fingertips…And my neck prickles a bit." Rose replied. Dumbledore nodded.

"As I thought. What you are experiencing, Ms. Potter, is uncommon, but not anything too shocking. Several other witches and wizards I know have suffered from the same oddity that you have, and it is entirely treatable." Rose cocked her head.

"So, it's not good that I'm doing these things?" Rose asked slowly.

"It's not so much that it's not good, but that you simply don't have a lot of restraint on your magic. This means, Ms. Potter, that although the spells you cast may be quite powerful, you will get tired very easily and may end up depleting your magic." Rose frowned.

"So why is this happening to me?"

"I believe it is because you have not performed much magic accidentally. I'm sure you have had a few cases where you've done something unexplainable, however most children accidentally use magic many times. This use of accidental magic unconsciously begins to regulate your use of magic, to a point where spells will do as they should." Rose's brow furrowed.

"So how do I fix it?" Rose asked. Dumbledore sighed, and Rose noticed the twinkle dimming in his eyes.

"Accidental magic is performed when a person is under much physical duress, or emotional and mental turmoil and confusion. It is only performed when unconsciously, you cannot find any way to relieve yourself of said turmoil, and your magic reacts to relieve you of some of that." Rose blinked, slightly confused.

"It means, Rose, that in order to fix this problem, we must put you into a situation where you feel very uncomfortable and vulnerable." Dumbledore lost the rest of the shining in his eyes as he watched Rose stiffen.

"I…I-is t-that the o-only w-way?" Rose stammered. Dumbledore nodded solemnly.

"We will not start today, if you would not like to. However, this must be done eventually, or you may find a spell you cast putting yourself, and possibly others, in danger." Rose stared at him, her eyes still shining in fear. Dumbledore wearily rubbed his forehead.

"Rose, I promise to you, I will try my best to make this as easy and as comfortable to you as I can. I would never intentionally hurt any of my students, and you can be sure the same protection applies to you as well." Rose fidgeted slightly under the man's gaze. Ashamed, she lowered her gaze to her feet.

"I-I'm s-sorry. I d-d-didn't mean t-to-" Rose was cut off as Dumbledore stood, and she looked up at him as he came around the desk and knelt in front of her.

"You have no reason to be sorry, Rose." He began gently. "And I think we should postpone this for a little while, until you feel more comfortable around me. So for now, I want you to return to your tower and do something fun with your friends, all right?" Dumbledore asked softly. Rose nodded, and shakily slipped out of her seat, heading towards the door.

Suddenly, there was a flash of light behind her, and Rose whirled around, astonished. The top of the bird perch was suddenly occupied by a magnificent red and gold bird, which was looking at her with undisguised interest.

"Ah, welcome back, Fawkes." Dumbledore said brightly as he went over to the bird. He held out his arm, and the bird hopped onto it. Dumbledore smiled at Rose, gesturing her to come over.

"Rose, this is Fawkes. He is one of my closest friends and confidants. Do you know what kind of bird he is?" Rose shook her head, awed with the creature in front of her. "Fawkes is a phoenix, one of the few magical birds around. I met him quite some years ago, and he decided to follow me around, as it were. Phoenixes have four remarkable abilities. Their tears can heal any wounds, they can carry enormous loads, and they can also teleport in a flash of fire." Dumbledore's eyes were shining brightly as Fawkes hopped off of his arm, and landed on Rose's shoulder, much to her surprise.

"Hello, Fawkes." Rose said softly, reaching up to touch him. Fawkes bent over, meeting her hand with his head, and trilled a few soft notes in greeting. Rose's eyes widened, feeling her heart lifting slightly at the bird's singing.

"The fourth magical property of phoenixes is their song. Their singing will raise the spirits of those with good intentions, and strike fear into the hearts of those who are wicked and undeserving." Dumbledore continued, walking back to his desk and sitting behind it. Rose continued petting Fawkes, who softly continued to sing to Rose. She began to feel much better, and smiled at the bird on her shoulder.

"Fawkes seems quite taken with you." Dumbledore chuckled, and Rose grinned as the phoenix looked back at the Headmaster, trilling almost indignantly. "I would not be surprised if you found Fawkes popping in to meet you from time to time. You may head back to your dorm now." Rose nodded, and carried the phoenix on her shoulder out the door.

He heart feeling light, she headed back towards Gryffindor tower, continuing to pay good attention to the bird on her shoulder. She couldn't help but be reminded of those silly pirate movies Dudley used to watch where they carried squawking parrots on their shoulders. Immediately, she grinned, knowing that a phoenix on her shoulder outdid a parrot any day.

Fawkes trilled a long goodbye at the portrait hole, flying off her shoulder and disappearing in a burst of flame. Rose was sad to see the phoenix go, but steeled herself with the promise that she would see him again. She clambered in, finding Ron playing a game of chess against both Fred and George.

"So what did the Headmaster want?" Ron asked as she sat down next to the game. Both Fred and George glanced at her, suddenly interested.

"He just wants to help me control my magic. Turns out I have little control over it, so I'm using way too much magic. He said I need to accidentally use magic a few times in order to gain control. I also met the phoenix that follows him around. His name is Fawkes." Rose replied, smiling shyly.

"How's he going to get you to use accidental magic?" Ron inquired, moving a knight to take one of the pawns. Rose fidgeted slightly.

"Something to do with mental or emotional confusion, he said." Rose said shortly, before leaning over to look at the game. Fred and George exchanged looks, before turning back to the chess game. Ron decided not to continue badgering her, frowning slightly as Fred directed a bishop to take one of Ron's rooks.

Rose retired to her dorm a little while later, finding Hermione writing a letter to her parents. Rose suddenly remembered her promise to write Ginny, and quickly took out a piece of parchment, resolving to send Ginny a letter first thing in the morning.

Ginny awoke on the fourteenth as normal, grumbling as her mother called her down to breakfast. It was quickly becoming boring being the only child left in the house, and the number of chores around the house she was expected to do had only increased every time a brother left.

Tired, but rested, she slid out of bed, stretching and yawning as she stepped into a pair of old slippers and headed downstairs. Wafts of the smells of cooking food met her, and she felt her stomach growling slightly. Upon entering the kitchen, she grabbed a plate and silverware and sat at the mostly empty table, next to her father, who was in the middle of reading The Daily Prophet.

"Good morning, Ginny." Mr. Weasley put down his paper and reached over to ruffle her hair. Ginny rolled her eyes but kissed her father before he picked up the paper again. Her mother, who was busily bustling around the kitchen, filled both their plates with food. Ginny dug in with earnest, but made sure not to be impolite or her mother would berate her.

Mrs. Weasley opened the windows, and Ginny's eyes widened as a white owl swooped in, landing on the table in front of her.

"Hello there, you have a letter for me?" Ginny asked, reaching out for the owl. It hooted in reply, sticking out it's leg where a letter was tied, the words 'To Ginny Weasley' easily noticeable. She quickly untied it, petting the owl.

"Now who could that be, sending you a letter?" Mr. Weasley asked, looking mildly surprised.

"Didn't I tell you, Arthur? Ginny made a friend at the train station. Quite the polite young lady, although she was a bit lost. She asked us for help to get onto the platform." Mrs. Weasley replied as Ginny opened the note. Sure enough, the name she had expected was signed at the bottom. She began reading it, her breakfast forgotten in her excitement.

_Dear Ginny,_

_Sorry about not writing earlier. I haven't exactly found much time to myself to just sit down and think here. I hope you'll forgive me._

_Hogwarts is fascinating. I was surprised by all the moving paintings they have on the first day, not to mention all the ghosts and other magical things. It's kind of overwhelming._

_I'm a Gryffindor, like your brothers. I met Ron on the train, and he seems decent enough. He's helped me through a few things I wasn't expecting, and I think we're pretty good friends. He's beaten me a bunch of times at chess, so I'll have to figure out something to be better than him at, somehow._

_I'm not exactly sure how, but I'm being allowed to try out for the house Quidditch team. Professor McGonagall said that I'd be their seeker, if Oliver Wood, the team captain, thinks I'm good enough. I'm meeting him later today to try out, and from what Quidditch sounds like from Ron, I really hope I make it on the team._

_Classes have been fairly interesting. My first Transfiguration class, I turned the needle into a bunch of matches, instead of just one. I met the Headmaster, and he said that it had to do with the fact that I haven't used much accidental magic yet, so I don't have control over my magic. We're going to fix that though, but I'm not sure I'm going to like how he's going to do it._

_I also met the Headmaster's phoenix! His name is Fawkes, and he's really cool! His feathers remind me of your hair, somewhat._

_By the way, this is Hedwig, and she likes it if you scratch her chin. It's okay if she waits there for your reply, if you decide to send one._

_I'm sorry again for the delay, and I hope you aren't mad at me. I promise I'll write a lot more, but this whole quill-pal thing is new to me, so I'm not quite sure what I'm supposed to be doing. Please tell me if I'm doing anything wrong, and I'm sorry in advance if I am._

_I hope to hear your reply soon!_

_From,_

_Rose Potter_

Ginny was slightly confused by the end at all of Rose's apologies. It was as though just because she was a bit caught up in school, she was expecting Ginny to hate her. She decided to send a reply back as soon as possible to alleviate her fears.

"So, was it your friend from the station?" Her mother asked, noticing Ginny had finished. Ginny snapped out of her reverie, and grinned widely.

"Yeah, mum. It was. She's kind of busy with school, and she apologized a lot for not writing sooner. She said she also met Ron on the train." Ginny replied, handing her the letter. Mrs. Weasely read it through.

"So who is this mystery friend?" Mr. Weasley asked, still reading his paper. Ginny grinned widely, and waited for her mother to finish the letter. As she did, Mrs. Weasley's eye's widened.

"Arthur…that girl was Rose Potter." She breathed. Mr. Weasley's paper dropped, his eyes also wide.

"You mean that the girl-who-lived is friends with our daughter?" Mr. Weasley asked incredulously.

"It's true. She seemed really shy about it, though, and I only figured out she was the girl-who-lived when I asked her about it. It looked like she doesn't really want to talk about it." Ginny replied.

"Well, of course not. Why would anyone want to be known for an event that their parents died in. Oh, no wonder she looked so lost." Mrs. Weasley handed over the letter to Mr. Weasley, who began reading it in earnest.

"She lived with muggles, obviously. Oh, Ginny! Ask her how those fellytones work! I'm sure she would know!" Mr. Weasly replied, sitting up in excitement. Ginny rolled her eyes, taking the letter back from her dad.

"I'm going back to my room to write a reply. I'll be down in a bit." Ginny held out an arm for Hedwig, and the snowy owl hopped on. She headed upstairs, taking care not to bump the owl into the walls, until she got to her room. Hedwig immediately took off and settled on the windowsill, beginning to preen herself as Ginny sat down to begin her letter.

_Dear Rose,_

_Don't worry about being late. My brothers never send me any letters, so obviously getting one is better than nothing at all!_

_Ron's always been good at chess. He's beaten dad a few times, which is quite something._

_My brothers all love Quidditch, except for Percy, so they don't let me ride their brooms, the gits. Don't tell anyone, but sometimes at night, I sneak out to the broom shed and ride around for a while. I think I'm pretty good, but from what it sounds like, you're a natural. Good luck with making the team! I hope you get on!_

_I'm not really allowed to use much magic yet, and when I do I have to use mom's wand. I've done my fair share of accidental magic, mostly when the twins prank me and scare me like mad. Of course, the accidents seem to always happen to them afterwards. From what it sounds like, you need someone to scare you good. Try asking them, I'm sure they'd love to help out. Just make sure to threaten them if they go over the top._

_I've never seen a phoenix, so I'm really jealous. Hopefully I'll get to see him next year! I hope I'm in Gryffindor with the rest of you!_

_Hedwig's really pretty too. She's sitting on the windowsill for me to wrap this up, so I guess that's what I'll do!_

_You better keep writing to me, and that's really all quill-pals do. Don't worry about messing up, just tell me about stuff, and I'll reply!_

_Your friend,_

_Ginny_

_P.S.: My dad saw the letter, and wants to know how a muggle fellytone works. He's obsessed with everything muggle, so if you get a letter from him asking about all sorts of stuff, don't be overwhelmed._

Ginny read it over again, before going over and tying it to the owl's leg.

"Safe trip back to Hogwarts!" She told the bird, who hooted happily before hopping out of the window and flying off. Ginny sighed, and decided to pin her first letter from a friend up on the wall across from her bed, so she could see it every time she went to sleep or woke up again.

"Ginny! Once you're done, come down and help de-gnome the garden!" Ginny sighed, before shouting an affirmative, took one last look at her letter and left the room, humming happily to herself.

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**A/N: **All right, I'll be trying to get these chapters out faster, but I have no guarantees. I'll update as I go, so unfortunately I can't be all 'you get an update a week' or something like that. Anyways, I got a few reviews, so I'll respond to them here!

**Phirepheonix:** Wow, thanks! I look forwards to more reviews! *hint hint*

**High Serpent King:** Thanks, glad you love it!

**Secret world:** Now you won't have to wait to read more! (until the end of the chapter .)

**Emily B. Starr:** Magic problems will crop up more in the future, I believe. Unfortunately, the Dursley's will be making more appearances as the series goes on. Much as I hate them, they do play a critical role in defining Rose's character.

**Ecchansama:** I know there hasn't been much to comment on, since it hasn't been far from canon so far. It will get farther from canon as the series goes on, however. I decided to leave Snape as the grouchy old git for several reasons, some of which may or may not be revealed later. Just wait and see! :D

**Chicky Babe No. 1:** Sorry for not updating soon, but here's more!

**Sdf:** Thanks!

**Ethiopianagema:** (I hope I spelled that right) Thanks for the review! And I don't intend to have rape in the series; it's too out of character for them. Although there may be instances where it may feel to Rose like they're going too far…

Hope I got everyone! Next chapter is in the works! Trying out for Quidditch, fighting a troll and the first Quidditch match of the year! Whee!


	7. Of Trolls and Broomsticks

**A/N:** Wow, it's been quite a while since I've updated, and I'm sorry for that. I'm going to try to continue updating normally, but, seeing as I'm in college now, that may not always be possible. Anyways, here we go!

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Rose smiled to herself before folding up Ginny's letter and tucking it in the breast pocket of her robes. It felt good, having someone who was willing to just talk about anything, and from what Ginny wrote, she was just that kind of person. Rose fervently wished she wouldn't do anything to get Ginny angry at her.

She made it through the rest of her day without too much hassle. She considered talking to the twins about her magic problem during dinner, but decided against it, hoping to get the Headmaster's opinion first.

After dinner, she headed out to the Entrance Hall where she met Oliver Wood, and they headed down towards the Quidditch pitch together, reviewing what Rose knew about the game. Oliver was satisfied that Rose knew the game well enough. They began with Oliver throwing muggle golf balls into the air in random directions, with Rose on a broom, trying to catch them. She only missed one, when Wood started throwing two at once, before she began catching all of them once more.

"All right, now for the real test. I think it's still light out enough out for this." Oliver reached into the box, and pulled out the small golden ball that was the Snitch. "Catch this as quickly as you can when I say go." Rose nodded, rising in the air a bit, before Oliver let go. It zipped off, and Rose kept her eye on it until Oliver gave her the go-ahead.

Immediately, Rose shot off, chasing the snitch to the other side of the pitch. It quickly dodged to the side, and Rose took a moment to realize, before pulling her broom in the right direction, catching sight of it again and speeding up to run it down. She quickly found that maneuverability was just as important as speed, as the Snitch would often change direction just as she was about to catch it. Nevertheless, Rose managed to catch it about four minutes later, and she drifted down towards Wood.

"Not bad. That was just above the record time, but that was during an actual game. A little bit of training, and I'm confident you'll do splendidly." Rose hesitated.

"So, I'm on the team?" She asked.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Rose grinned, and dismounted the broom as she landed, handing the Snitch back to Oliver.

"Practice is on Tuesdays and Fridays at six, first thing in the morning. I'll introduce you to the team on Friday. I'll ask Angelina to make sure you wake up in time, just in case." He said. Rose looked at him slightly hesitantly, wondering if he was serious about the early start. He was already hoisting the box over his shoulder, and Rose decided he was being truthful.

'At least I'll be awake for classes those days.' She heard Oliver muttering something about a new broom, but tuned him out, wondering what Ron was going to be like when he heard she got on the team.

* * *

"That's bloody brilliant!"

"Language, Ron!" Rose looked between the two of them, grinning slightly. Ron was busily shooting his mouth off about Quidditch, with Hermione interjecting whenever he happened to use foul language. Rose noted that Hermione seemed to be interjecting a lot, which spoke volumes about how ecstatic Ron was.

"Hey, Rose." She turned, seeing Fred and George coming over to their little group.

"We just heard from Oliver that you're going to be our seeker."

"Shooting his mouth off about you, he was."

"Said he hasn't seen anyone so naturally gifted at seeking since Charlie."

"Then again, Charlie had practice at home for years before he came here."

"Anyways, George and I here are the team's beaters."

"Don't worry your pretty little head, no bludger's gonna touch you as long as long as we're around." Rose felt her neck beginning to get sore from switching looking from one twin to the next.

"Thanks, guys. I'll see you at practice tomorrow." She replied. She quickly decided not to bring up the accidental magic idea of Ginny's, deciding to talk to the Headmaster first before getting anyone else involved. Rose turned back to her Potions essay, as Fred and George were called by Lee Jordan over to the other side of the common room.

Rose was awoken the next morning by Angelina and Katie, who had to search for a while before they found her underneath her bed. Rose quickly got dressed, and followed them down to the Quidditch pitch for practice. Oliver Wood introduced Rose to the team, most of which Rose knew already, before putting them through flying drills. Rose had to suppress the urge to embellish the drills by adding a few loops, but she was happy to be flying all the same.

"Hey, Oliver. Rose is gonna need a real broom, not a junker like those school ones." Fred noted to Wood as Rose flew around the pitch in glee.

"I know. McGonagall and I have taken care of it. In fact, it should be arriving this morning." Oliver replied smugly. Fred grinned, turning to look at the raven-haired girl execute a nearly perfect dive after a golf ball George had thrown for her.

Rose was slightly tired, but energetic after the practice. She headed back up to her dorm to take a shower before breakfast, and found that no one else had awoken yet, although Hermione was stirring in her sleep. By the time she was ready to go, Hermione was up, quietly brushing her hair while reading.

Rose accompanied Hermione down to breakfast, and they were joined by Ron not too long afterwards. Ron immediately began to shovel down food as normal, much to Rose and Hermione's chagrin.

Halfway through breakfast, the owls arrived with the mail. Instinctively, Rose looked up, and noticed a long package being carried by Hedwig and another owl she didn't recognize. They came straight for her, and dropped the package onto the table, uncaring that the package ended up landing on Ron's, Rose's and Hermione's plates.

"Hey! Watch where you're dropping-" Ron began berating the owls, before noticing the long shape of the package. Rose just sat there, stunned.

"Well? Open it, Rose." Ron prodded. Rose, slightly numb from shock, slowly reached for it before tearing off the wrapping. Out came a broomstick, labeled 'Nimbus 2000' on one side, with a name emblazoned on the other, along with a note tied to the shaft.

"'To the youngest seeker in a century. Here's to Gryffindor victories.' Rose Potter, Seeker." Ron read the note, then the inscribed name on the broom. Rose was still marveling at it when the rest of the Gryffindor team came up behind her.

"We expect that this will be put to some good use, Rose." Oliver said, a grin on his face.

"Jeez, Wood. Sure, a good broom, but a Nimbus 2000? That's the best broom on the bloody market! And customized as well?"

"How come you never bought us our first brooms, Wood?" Fred and George teased, but also seemed awestruck by the broom.

"With this, you'll be unstoppable, Rose!" The chaser trio was nearly jumping with glee.

"You'll let me try it out, right, Rose?" Ron asked, and all of them turned on him. "After she's had a run around, of course." He amended.

"Of course, Ron." Rose breathed, finally starting to come out of her stupor. Wood clapped her on the shoulder before returning to breakfast. The rest of the team congratulated her again before doing the same.

"I think I'm done. I'm going to go lock this up 'till later." Rose stood, and carried the broom out of the Grand Hall. She was busy still looking at it and in awe of it when she ran into someone. With a small squeal of surprise, she fell backwards, careful to hold up the broom before it was snatched out of her hands.

"Well, well, well. Potty's breaking school rules. First years aren't allowed to have brooms at school." Malfoy chuckled, turning the broom over in his hands.

"Give it back, Malfoy." Rose growled. Just then, Professor Flitwick walked out of the Dining Hall.

"Professor! Potter here has a broom!" Malfoy shouted, waving Rose's broom in the air.

"Indeed. I heard about the unusual circumstances. Here, here. Ah, a personalized Nimbus 2000. Very nice indeed. Do your team proud, Ms. Potter." Flitwick replied, handing the broom back to Rose, and Rose quickly headed up the stairs to Gryffindor tower before Malfoy and his goons could follow.

Rose met with Dumbledore again the next night, and presented Ginny's idea of frightening her to perform the magic rather than having her break down. Dumbledore accepted the idea, eyes twinkling madly, before he let her go to call Fred and George into his office. Fawkes accompanied Rose back to her dorm once again before vanishing outside the portrait hole.

Throughout the next week, Rose let off bursts of accidental magic as Fred and George's plans went into action. They struck unexpectedly and very deviously, once even going so far as to let a warded bludger at her, tampered so that it wouldn't hit her. Rose ended up slicing it in half, and both halves fell to the ground. Unfortunately, one hit Ron's foot, and he ended up in the hospital wing after trying to chase the twins down.

The pranks continued into October, although the usage of Rose's accidental magic waned over time. Eventually, Dumbledore called the three of them back to his office, and accepted that Rose had sufficient control over her magic. Rose thanked both Fred and George, complimenting them on some of their pranks. Fred and George invited her to help plot something big with them later, to which Rose happily accepted.

* * *

As the month progressed, however, she felt a familiar nervousness settling over her. At first, she didn't remember why, but the answer soon came to her.

October 31st was rapidly approaching, and the ten year anniversary of her parent's death came with it. Ron and Hermione both comforted her as best the could, while Fred and George both asked for her help with several new pranks or ideas to take her mind off of the coming date. Rose appreciated the thoughts, but her mind still turned to the events of ten years past when she was studying or was alone in the halls.

Rose made it a point to visit Hagrid as regularly as possible, often talking about the most random things. Every once in a while, Rose's parents entered the conversation, and Hagrid would regale her with tales of her father's shenanigans, or her mother's brilliance. Rose also made a point to keep up correspondence with Ginny, and always got enthusiastic replies in return. She remembered to tell Ginny about her twin brother's help in controlling her magic, to which Ginny replied that she had her fair share of them causing her to use magic when she was younger.

Slowly, unrelentingly, October 31st arrived. Rose awoke under her bed from a fitful night's sleep, her dreams plagued with red eyes, green flashes and a high, cold laugh. She wearily trudged through her day, supported by both Ron and Hermione.

At least until Ron became fed up with Hermione always outdoing him and trying to show Ron how it was done.

"Bloody know-it-all. No wonder she doesn't have any friends." Ron muttered as they left Charms. Rose scowled, and raised her hand to hit him on the shoulder, until Hermione rushed past them, head bowed. Rose turned on Ron, her eyes flashing dangerously.

"Ron, you'd better go apologize to her. She heard what you said, and it really was inconsiderate." Ron frowned, staring after Hermione.

"Where do you think she went?" He asked after a while. Rose sighed, but didn't know. The library would have been the obvious choice, but when they arrived, there was no sign of Hermione. Rose and Ron continued searching, but as the day passed, they could find no sign of her.

"Where the heck did she run off to?" Ron sighed, sinking onto the bench in the Great Hall before the Halloween Feast.

"Ron, language. And I don't have a clue where Hermione is either."

"Rose, I heard she was in the girl's bathroom on the second floor." Lavender spoke up from a few seats down. Rose glanced at her, rapidly thinking of where they had searched. Unfortunately, before Rose had a chance to get Ron back up, the feast began, and the doors to the Great Hall shut.

"We'll go get her after the feast. Here, Ron, help me wrap up some things to bring her." Rose handed Ron a few napkins, and they both quickly bundled up several chicken legs, some bread and some other food. Ron went back to eating voraciously, to which Rose rolled her eyes. The nervous anxiety in the pit of her stomach was back, leaving her with a somewhat upset stomach.

"Aren't you going to eat, Rose?" Neville asked from across the table. Rose shook her head. She looked around the decorated Great Hall, smirking as she noticed Dumbledore was wearing a hat fashioned into a large jack-o-lantern.

Suddenly, the doors at the end of the Great Hall burst open, and Professor Quirrell strode in somewhat haphazardly, constantly glancing over his shoulder. Everything fell silent as Quirrell stumbled a few more steps.

"Troll! In the dungeon! Troll in the dungeon!" He shouted towards the head table. The silence was deafening, before Quirrell sqeaked, "Thought you ought to know." Then the twitchy defense professor fainted.

Rose found herself jostled by screaming, frantic students. She could understand their panic, but actively trying to escape haphazardly was not going to help. She was about to shout to Ron when several loud explosions at the Head Table caught everyone's attention. Dumbledore stood, wand in hand stretched outwards, power exuding from his very being.

"Prefects, take your houses back to the dormitories. Professors, to the dungeons." Rose stood, beginning to follow Percy as he gathered the other prefects to get all of the Gryffindor students out. Ron somehow found his way next to her, near the back of the line. Suddenly, a thought occurred to Rose as they reached the second floor.

"Ron, we have to find Hermione! She doesn't know about the troll!" Rose hissed, dragging Ron into a different hallway after checking to make sure no prefects saw them. Rose quickly lead Ron down the hallway towards the girl's bathroom.

They turned the corner, before Rose froze. Ron bumped into her before she hissed at him to be quiet.

The troll, twelve feet tall and substantially ugly, was slowly walking across the hall in front of them. Its stench made Rose quickly put a hand to her nose, and Ron exhaled loudly before Rose elbowed him. It disappeared through a doorway, and Rose turned to Ron.

"It went into a room! Quick, let's lock it in!" Ron strode forwards before Rose caught him.

"Ron. That's not just any room. That's the girl's bathroom." She replied, here eyes wide. A shriek caught both of their attention, and they sprinted down the hall and into the bathroom. Rose spotted Hermione huddled under the sinks, gazing up fearfully at the troll.

"Hermione, move!" Ron bellowed, drawing out his wand as he did. Hermione didn't respond, still staring at the troll in terror. Ron growled, and threw a spell at the troll. Although the spell didn't affect the troll, Ron's voice caught it's attention, and it slowly turned to face them.

"Ron, try to keep it distracted. I'll get Hermione." Rose whispered, to which Ron nodded, although his face paled a little. Rose quickly hid behind the row of stalls, before crawling underneath them to make sure the troll didn't see her. She heard Ron throwing another spell at the troll, and it roared in frustration.

Rose quickly scrambled over to Hermione, and shook her shoulder.

"Come on, Hermione, we have to get out of here!" Hermione finally responded, nodding slowly, and Rose helped her up. Then Rose noticed that Ron and the troll were still in the way of the door.

"Hermione, go under the stalls and crawl towards Ron. I'll distract the troll, okay?" Rose hissed. Hermione nodded, before disappearing into one of the stalls. Rose turned towards the troll.

"Hey, you big fat buffoon! Come and get some of this!" Rose shouted, before levitating a piece of a sink the troll had broken and banishing it at its head. The troll turned to her voice just in time to get a face full of porcelain, to which it roared in frustration and stomped towards Rose. She dodged to the side as the troll swung its club at her, hitting the floor instead. Before she could catch her balance, the troll swung sideways at her, hitting her outstretched wand arm.

Across the room, Ron was helping Hermione to her feet when they both heard the sickening crack of a breaking bone. Both of them turned to see the troll looming over Rose, who had yelped in pain, and was holding her arm to her chest, wand forgotten a few feet behind the troll. Without thinking, Ron ran at the troll and leapt on its back, intending to try and choke it.

Unintentionally, his wand went up the troll's nose. It roared in pain and began thrashing around, trying to reach around and grab Ron off it's back.

"Hermione, do something!" Ron yelled, feeling his grip on the troll loosening. Hermione looked panicked, but raised her wand at the troll, uttering the first spell that came to mind.

"_Wingardium Leviosa!_" She cried, and the troll's club jerked out of its hand. Ron forgotten, it looked up at its club in confusion. Hermione thought for a second, before twirling it around to pick up speed and smashing it into the troll's face.

Ron jumped sideways off the troll's back as it fell backwards, and its head hit the tiled floor with a sickening crack. Both Hermione and Ron froze, watching it nervously, before Ron stood and walked over to it, plucking his wand out of its nose.

"Gross. Troll bogeys." He grimaced, and wiped the wand off on the troll's jacket.

"Rose!" Hermione sprinted over to the other side of the bathroom, where Rose was huddled under a sink.

"You okay, Hermione?" Rose whimpered slightly in pain.

"Yeah, thanks to you and Ron." Hermione replied, her voice shaking slightly. Ron came over, kneeling next to Hermione.

"Come on, we have to get Rose to the Hospital Wing and tell the Professors where the troll is." Hermione nodded, and Ron helped Rose to her feet. Hermione threw Rose's good arm over her shoulder to help support her, while Ron nudged the troll with his foot to make sure it was still unconscious.

As they made their way out of the bathroom, Rose limping slightly, McDonagall, Snape and Quirrell appeared at the other end of the hallway, running towards them. McGonagall gasped when she noticed Rose's torn and bloody robes.

"What in Merlin's name are you three doing here? You should be up in your dormitories! And what happened to Ms. Potter?" McGonagall asked snappishly. Ron looked too nervous to speak, so Hermione did.

"I'm sorry, Professor. I went to face the troll myself. I thought I could face one because I've read all about them. It was only because of Rose and Ron here that I'm still alive." Hermione lied. Ron looked over to her in shock, but quickly schooled his face and nodded. Quirrell whimpered slightly before disappearing into the bathroom.

"I distracted the troll so Rose could get to Hermione, then Rose distracted the troll so Hermione could get to me. The troll hit Rose's arm as she was trying to hit it with something." Ron replied. McGonagall looked from Ron to Hermione, before shaking her head.

"Kids these days, taking on a full grown mountain troll…Fifteen points from Gryffindor, Ms. Granger. Utter foolishness. Get Ms. Potter to the hospital wing." Hermione nodded, and started to walk again, but Rose fell unconscious at the movement, and dragged Hermione to the floor. Ron and McGonagall quickly came over to them, followed slowly by Snape, whom Ron noticed was limping.

"Severus, please help Quirrell dispose of the troll. I'll help these three to the Hospital Wing." McGonagall said, before conjuring a stretcher and levitating Rose onto it. Snape looked slightly mutinous, but turned and limped off, not without both Ron and Hermione noticing.

They followed McGonagall to the Hospital Wing behind Rose's stretcher, which was hovering four feet above the floor beside the Gryffindor Head of House. Both were silent, worried about their friend who had allowed them to escape unharmed.

As they entered the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey bustled out and helped McGonagall move Rose into one of the beds.

"Honestly, kids always are getting into accidents and such. I never have nothing to do." The matron huffed, but quickly went to work, waving her wand over Rose before blinking, looking confused. She waved her wand again, and then turned to McGonagall.

"Broken arm. I can fix that right up. Her magical reservoir is exhausted though, so she'll need a little while to heal. You two may leave, if you have no injuries." She looked pointedly at Ron and Hermione, who glanced at McGonagall. The Professor nodded, and Ron and Hermione walked out. Before they were out of hearing, though, Pompfrey started up again.

"Minerva, Ms. Potter is not well." Ron and Hermione froze, and glanced at each other. They silently tiptoed back to the doorway, where they listened in on the conversation.

"…poor child's body is covered with signs of abuse. Who is she staying with?" Ron and Hermione stiffened, looking at each other with fear evident in their eyes.

"Her Aunt's family, the Dursley's. Honestly, I figured as much. Those muggles aren't fit to raise a child." McGonagall replied briskly. There were a few moments of tense silence while they heard Madam Pompfrey moving around.

"Have you told Albus yet?"

"I have, Poppy, and he's working on the situation. I don't know what he was thinking when he put her there in the first place." Hermione shivered, and Ron grabbed her before they both ran back up to Gryffindor tower.

Ron's face was still pale as they entered the portrait hole.

"Did you know about this?" Hermione whispered. Ron shook his head slowly.

"No. I suspected something was wrong, but not this." Hermione frowned, and then gasped again. "Ron, she usually ends up sleeping under her bed, on the floor." Ron looked at her in shock.

"Why would she do that?" He asked. Hermione shook her head.

"I don't know. Why would anyone want to sleep on the floor, in a cramped area like that?" Ron shrugged, confused. He quickly recounted what happened their first night at Hogwarts with the twins, and Hermione's lip trembled.

"She probably thought they were going to beat her. Oh no." Ron quickly hugged Hermione as she broke down.

"How could anyone be so mean to anyone like that?" Hermione asked Ron as she calmed down. Ron shook his head, staring down at the floor in an approximation of where the Hospital wing was.

"I don't know. But she can't go back there. We have to tell someone."

"But who? We weren't supposed to hear any of this, remember? Besides, Professor McGonagall said she had confronted Professor Dumbledore already." Hermione asked. Ron groaned.

"All right. We can't just ignore this, but for now, we can't do anything. We probably shouldn't mention this to Rose, or she'll freeze up and not say anything. All right?" Hermione nodded, agreeing.

"Not a word."

* * *

Rose was released the next morning, but strictly warned not to take any serious risks with her arm for a week. Rose was relieved at this; the first Quidditch match wasn't until the next week. For the next week, both Ron and Hermione seemed to be slightly more careful around her, glancing at her every once in a while. Rose shrugged it off, figuring they were just looking out for her, making sure that she obeyed Pomfrey's orders.

Wood questioned Rose on the diagnosis, also relieved that his team mate was not going to be taken out of the match. Both Fred and George congratulated her on taking on the troll, promising to find something to brighten her spirits soon.

The result was a large explosion at the Slytherin table a few mornings later, and once the smoke cleared, every Slytherin had turned into a baby chicken. There was quite some confusion for a while, before the spell wore off a few minutes later. Rose didn't notice when they were released, laughing too much to care about anything. She was all smiles for the rest of the day, which seemed to spread to both Ron and Hermione. As Fred and George entered the common room later that night, Rose quickly congratulated them on a prank well pulled, to which they bowed, getting cheers from all around the common room. Hermione, however, merely huffed, returning to her book.

All too soon, the day of the first Quidditch match arrived. Rose felt slightly queasy, and only ate a slice of toast at Ron and Hermione's insistence. Before she could tell, she was already in the locker rooms, changing into her Quidditch robes.

"Nervous, Rose?" Wood asked as she slipped out of the girl's changing rooms. She nodded slightly, eyes cast on the ground. "Don't worry. Just concentrate on finding the Snitch. You'll be fine."

"What happened during your fist game?" Rose asked slightly shakily. Wood frowned a moment.

"I got hit by a bludger to the head a few minutes in. Woke up at the hospital wing a week later." Wood noticed her eyes going wide with fear, and hastily backtracked. "But we have Fred and George to take care of them now. No one on our team has been hit by a bludger for a year straight since they've been on the team."

"And we'll make extra sure nothing happens to our favorite seeker." Fred continued as he stepped out of the rooms.

"I'm your only seeker." Rose pointed out. George playfully hit Fred's shoulder with his beater bat, after which they began pretending to fence with their bats until it was time to head out to the pitch.

"Welcome to the first Quidditch game at Hogwarts this year! And here comes the Sytherin team!" The rest of Lee Jordan's announcement was drowned out by a mix of cheers and boo's, and only the Slytherins were cheering. The Slytherin players took to the air, save one, whom Rose assumed was their captain.

"And now, I give you…Gryffindor!" An overwhelming amount of cheers filled the pitch as Rose mounted, flying out onto the pitch behind Angelina. She quickly climbed to the altitude where the seekers were supposed to start, finding the Slytherin seeker staring at her maliciously. Rose frowned, but ignored him, looking down to where Wood and the Slytherin Captain were meeting Madam Hooch in the middle of the field.

"Captains Flint and Wood, please shake hands. I want a nice, clean game out of both of your teams." Rose noticed that their handshake went on a little longer than normal, as both appeared to be trying to crush each others hands. Both captains joined the rest of their teams in the air, and Rose glanced to the stands, quickly trying to find Ron and Hermione. She quickly noticed Hagrid sitting with the Gryffindors, being somewhat hard to miss, and then Ron and Hermione sitting next to him. She flashed a thumbs-up in their direction, then returned her attention to below her.

"The Quaffle is up, and the game begins! Marvelous steal from Jones as Pucey tries to snatch it in the first second, and Jones is streaking down to the goals. Marvelous form, good girl to stare at for a while…" McGonagall interrupted him, and Rose turned her attention back to the game. Rose watched as the quaffle blurred, being passed quickly from chaser to chaser as they neared the Slytherin goals.

"Gryffindor scores! 10-0 to Gryffindor!" The stands erupted in cheering from the Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. Rose slowly began circling the pitch, eyes scanning for the familiar glint of gold that was the snitch. She was forced into a roll as a bludger hit from one of the Slytherin beaters rocketed towards her. Seconds after it passed, Fred was hitting it back towards the Slytherins, shouting a quick, "Keep it up, Rose!" as he passed, chasing the opposite bludger.

Rose continued to circle the pitch, scanning feverishly for the Snitch and making sure that the Slytherin seeker hadn't seen it. No bludgers came near her for a while, as Fred and George were attacking them maliciously, keeping the Slytherin chasers on their toes. The stands erupted in cheers again, and Lee Jordan called out the score as 70-20 to Gryffindor.

The Slytherin captain looked furious, and as one of the beaters neared him he snatched the club from his hand and smashed a nearby bludger towards Wood, who was concentrating on the quaffle that was nearing him. Rose watched, eyes wide, as Wood blocked the quaffle from entering the middle goal, only to be hit in the chest through the goal hoop himself. Rose was frozen, watching as Wood slowly sank towards the ground, looking dazed, until he shook himself out of it and returned to the goal posts.

Suddenly, a glint of gold near Wood's left foot caught her eye. Quickly, she looked around for the Slytherin seeker, who was busy scanning the other side of the pitch. Rose quickly confirmed that the Snitch was near Wood, leaned forward on her broom, and rocketed towards the goal posts.

"And it seems Potter has seen the Snitch!" Rose cursed Lee for drawing attention to her as she weaved through the other players, keeping her eyes on the snitch that had moved around to the Gryffindor stands. The other seeker was on her tail, but was loosing ground even as they flew at the same target.

As Rose neared the snitch, it suddenly changed direction, as though it sensed Rose coming for it. Twisting around on her broom, she followed it straight down, eliciting several gasps from the stands. Her eyes watered as her glasses were pressed against her face, and she blinked furiously to keep the Snitch in sight. Rose pulled out of her dive as the Snitch shot along the ground, her feet skimming the grass just inches beneath her. Rose could tell she was gaining on the snitch and reached out a hand to grab it. Suddenly, a bludger appeared in front of her, and Rose was forced to roll sideways to avoid it.

She heard a sickening thud behind her, and after she ascertained that the snitch had disappeared, turned to see the Slytherin seeker had gotten knocked out by the bludger. Rose quickly shot back up on the pitch, using the time that the Slytherins used for a time-out to try to find the snitch again. The score had risen to 140-90, still favoring Gryffindor.

The time out ended, and the Slytherin seeker rose into the air shakily, staring murderously at Rose. He immediately shot towards her, elbowing her as he passed. Rose felt her broom jerk sideways and quickly adjusted, returning to scanning the pitch. Suddenly, the broom beneath her bucked, and Rose tightened her grip, holding on as it suddenly shot backwards into a spiral.

'Something's wrong with this broom!' She thought frantically as she hung on, the broom jerking around, trying to shake her off. She shut her eyes tight, gripping the broom as hard as she could, hoping fervently that she wouldn't fall off…

* * *

Ron and Hagrid were staring at Rose in horror, as well as most of the other students, who gasped and moaned as the broom performed tricky maneuvers, obviously trying to unseat its passenger. Hermione, on the other hand, was busy scanning the stands, and quickly found what she was looking for in the teacher's stands.

"Professor Snape's jinxing the broom!" Hermione hissed, and Ron whipped his head around, staring at the Potions master.

"That no good, slimy git!" Ron stood, but Hermione pulled him down.

"Keep an eye on Rose, I'll go distract him. He needs eye contact to keep cursing the broom." Hermione slipped out of her seat, quickly making her way underneath the stands towards the teacher's stands. She quickly pulled out her wand as she found her way underneath Snape, muttering a spell to set his robes on fire before dashing away, back to her seat.

* * *

Rose was busy trying to climb back onto her broom, as it had managed to unseat her. Her grip, however, was weakening, and she knew that soon she would be plummeting towards the ground. Suddenly, the broom quivered and came to a halt. Confused, Rose hung there for a moment, before swinging herself back onto her broom. Casting a wary glance at it, she tested it out, and it seemed to obey her commands again.

Suddenly, the snitch flew past her, and she rocketed after it, the Slytherin seeker hot on her tail. She quickly pushed her broom as fast as it could go, and even though her glasses were hanging askew, she reached out to grab the snitch. At the last moment, a bludger smashed into the back of her broom, flinging her forwards off her broom. Forgetting the snitch, she tried to remount her broom, until she hit the ground, rolling over herself a few times before coming to a stop.

Dizzily, she stood up, using the broom to help her up, cursing her bad luck. As she looked up, the Slytherin seeker was searching for the snitch, which had seemed to have disappeared once again. Rose quickly went to remount her broom, until she felt something wriggling in her sleeve. Curious, she reached up her sleeve, and her eyes lit up as her fingers brushed the smooth metal and wings of the snitch. Grinning happily, she quickly dropped her broom and extracted the snitch from her robes, and held it up for the school to see.

Cheers rose quickly, as Lee Jordan shouted into the megaphone, pronouncing Gryffindor's win, a very respectable 320-110. The other Gryffindor players quickly swooped down to Rose, cheering and congratulating her on the marvelous catch. Fred and George lifted her onto their shoulders, and the pitch erupted into greater cheers.

Rose felt her heart soaring, and knew that by far, it was the best day she had ever had.

* * *

A/N: Reviews PLZ! :D


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